President Buhari Inaugurates Lagos-Ibadan Railway Project

“The connection through rail would position Nigerian ports as the choice for import and export business of the people of landlocked Niger Republic.”

EKO HOT BLOG reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has officially inaugurated the 157km double track Lagos-Ibadan Railway project at the Mobolaji Johnson Railway Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

President Buhari, while inaugurating the railway project on Thursday, described the feat ‘‘as another milestone in the drive of this administration to revitalise the railway system and establish it as a choice mode of transportation for both passengers and freight.’’

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President pledged to ensure that the railway system is prioritised by his regime as a transport backbone that can transform industrial and economic activity in the country.

President Buhari further pointed out the benefits of the Lagos-Ibadan railway as well as other ongoing projects across the country.

He said, “This vital line establishes an end-to-end logistic supply chain in railway transport within its short corridor, Lagos – Ibadan, as goods to the hinterland would now be transported by rail directly from the Apapa port Quayside straight to the Inland Container Depot located in Ibadan from where it can be distributed to other parts of the country.

“In clear recognition of the challenges posed to our economic growth by the absence of strong and effective infrastructure, we have in the rail sector, further to other ongoing railway infrastructure projects, embarked on the completion of the outstanding segment of the Lagos – Kano railway, which is Ibadan – Kano.

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“The Lagos – Kano railway project when completed will link the Kano – Maradi line at Kano and a rail link from the Nigeria southern ports of Lagos to Maradi in the Niger Republic will be achieved.

“The connection through rail would position Nigerian ports as the choice for import and export business of the people of landlocked Niger Republic.

“This would be beneficial to the economy through employment from new business opportunities and wealth creation,” President Buhari said.

The President further expressed delight that his directive to the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Finance on reaching financial agreements with appropriate co-financiers to partner with the Federal Government for the development of the Ibadan – Kano railway was yielding results.

President Buhari added that the Ibadan-Kano project would have a connection to the Tin Can Island port as well as the West – East Coastal rail line from Lagos to Calabar linking Onitsha, Benin, Warri, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Aba and Uyo.

EKO HOT BLOG gathered that the President, shortly after he inaugurated the project, took a ride from Ebute Metta Station to Energy Nature Light (ENL), Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos.

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