The federal government has assured Nigerians that freight services on the Lagos to Kano rail line will begin in June.
The transportation minister, Sa'id Alkali, said this when he inspected the Kano-Maradi rail corridor.
At the Zawacikin end of the project, rail tracks linked the narrow gauge, connected to the Dala Dry Inland Port, to bring freight and passengers from Lagos.
While commending the contractor for the progress made so far, the minister emphasized that the timely completion of the narrow gauge and the dry port will significantly bolster the country's gross domestic product, GDP.
“We are going to put the freight hopefully in the next one month from Lagos to Kano on the narrow gauge.
"We inspected the rail line from the existing narrow gauge to Dala Inland Dry Port because that is where we are going to drop the containers. This will bring the cost of business down.
“We will reduce the menace of road traffic accidents. We will save our highways, and the multiplier effect is on the GDP growth of the country.”
The minister was satisfied with the pace of work on the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail corridor. He also disclosed plans to segment the project for easy, efficient, and fast completion.
The inspection tour commenced in Kano, proceeded to Kazaure, and concluded with the minister's visit and interaction with the pioneer students of the Nigerian University of Transportation, Daura.
At the transport university, Alkali said the university has admitted over 500 students in 14 disciplines. He pledged to address infrastructural deficiencies in the institution.
