Buhari inaugurates Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Nigeria's first standard gauge rail – Newstrends
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Buhari inaugurates Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Nigeria’s first standard gauge rail

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inaugurated the 326km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line for commercial operation and directed the Ministry of Transportation to ensure that all the nation’s ports are linked to the rail line.
He listed the ports to be linked to the rail network as Apapa, Tin Can, Warri, Onne and Calabar ports.
He also directed that the Itakpe-Warri rail line should be extended to the northern region of the country before the expiration of his tenure in 2023.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed these in a statement titled “After 30 years in limbo, President Buhari inaugurated 326Km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line for commercial operation.”

“At the virtual opening of the rail line linking Itakpe to Warri, President Buhari directed the Federal Ministry of Transportation to link all the nation’s ports of origin and destination – Apapa, Tin Can, Warri, Onne, Calabar Ports- to the rail network in order to significantly improve overall transportation and economic capacities.

“The President declared that his administration recognised the importance of the railway mode of transportation as a vital backbone to support industrialisation and economic development,” the statement read.
The President also said, “Accordingly, I have approved the prioritisation of viable railway routes for either new rail lines or the reconstruction and rehabilitation of some, to achieve effective and efficient train services supporting the country’s trade and commerce.

“The railway Infrastructure that I have the honour to commission today is the rail line from Itakpe via the steel town complex of Ajaokuta to Warri, and is an important link for the country’s economy as the central rail line.
“This government has also approved to link this line further from Itakpe to Abuja, thereby, connecting the northern zone of the country and also extending southwards to link the Warri ports.”
According to the statement, the President expressed confidence that the project, which serves as a vital link of South-South geopolitical zones of the country to the northern zones, would be completed during the tenure of this administration.

”It will link people across the cultural divides and expand the frontier of trade and commerce, which will lead to better standards of living for our citizens,” he said.

Buhari urged operators in the transportation industry, especially the railway subsector, to continue to support government in its stride to achieve other railway infrastructure projects.

He said, ”I implore those who work on this line to uphold maintenance and safety culture necessary for long-lasting service in this difficult terrain.

”By the same token, I urge other sectors who will be primary beneficiaries of this transportation backbone, including, the iron and steel sector, stakeholders in agricultural and mining sectors on this corridor, as well as the host communities to protect and sustain this infrastructure and maximize the benefits that could be derived from it and which is readily available at their doorsteps.

”This project will increase the volume of their trade and kick-start and resuscitate the iron and steel complexes.

”All these, I hope will improve our industrial potentials and capacities as well as boost employment,’’ he said.

Buhari said the new rail line was expected to move about one million passengers annually and 3.5 million tonnes capacity of freight.

He congratulated the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his team. on successfully completing the project.
He also commended the host communities for their cooperation during the completion work by the Federal Government.
He said that his administration would continue to judiciously connect commercial and industrial hubs to boost trade, generate wealth and create employment.

Railway

NRC, APM Terminals seal Lagos-Ibadan cargo movement pact 

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L-R: Director of Operations, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Akin Osinowo; APMT CEO, Mr Frederik Klinke; MD, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, and the CCO, APMT Nigeria, Mrs Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi.

NRC, APM Terminals seal Lagos-Ibadan cargo movement pact 

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has concluded arrangement with the management of APM Terminals to commence the expansion of cargo movement from Apapa port, Lagos, to the NRC freight yard in Moniya, Ibadan, Oyo State.

This was disclosed after a meeting between the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, and the APM Terminals team led by its CEO, Mr Frederik Klinke,

NRC Director of Operation, Mr Akin Osinowo, and CCO APM Terminals Nigeria, Mrs Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi, also attended the meeting.

Klinke highlighted the strategic advantage of Nigeria being surrounded by a number of landlocked neighbouring countries, creating an opportunity to serve as a hub for importation of containerized goods.

APMT assured NRC of greater efficiency in turnaround of cargo at the port and expansion of the use of rail for cargo evacuation and export through APM Terminals.

He reiterated APMT’s position as the foremost transporter of container freight in the country and a major partner to the NRC.

The MD of NRC expressed appreciation for APM Terminal’s close partnership with NRC for decades.

He stated that the collaboration would be of tremendous benefit to both parties.

“We are going to work for the satisfaction of not only the APMT but all customers who intend to do business with Railways.”

The MD said like he reiterated in his maiden speech at the assumption of office, “prioritizing customers’ satisfaction by improving customer experience and ensuring that our services are reliable, efficient, safe and sustainable” remain cardinal to him.

He added that all key stakeholders including the media, would be deployed extensively to encourage people towards greater use of the rail system.

This, he stressed, would invariably translate into drastically reducing the cost of goods and services.

It would also increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by providing food security, which is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he stated.

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Railway workers unions pledge to work with new MD Opeifa

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Railway workers unions pledge to work with new MD Opeifa

 

The two labour unions at the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) say they are prepared to work with the new Managing Director of the corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, to achieve the mandate of President Bola Tinubu for the rail sector.

Leaders of the Nigeria Union of Railway workers (NUR) and Senior Staff Association (SSA) met with the NRC management in Lagos.

Opeifa, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, said the labour leaders passed the resolution after the meeting with the management on Monday, where all their grievances were tabled for discussion.

The MD described the maiden meeting with the workers’ leaders as “productive with mutual understanding of all issues raised”.

He stated that while some matters raised by the unions were assigned for further discussion at directorate level, others such as the medical personnel allowance, were instantly resolved.

He said, “The unions have reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate with the management and provide all necessary support to ensure that train services operate at maximum efficiency, contributing to the growth of rail services in Nigeria as well as reducing the prices of goods and services to achieve Mr. President’s mandate.”

Opeifa expressed happiness at the outcome, adding that with the workforce behind him, he could now begin to work at optimizing railway operations in the country.

He said the management was committed to the welfare of the workers and ensuring that their work as well as living conditions would be adequately catered for under his leadership.

The labour unions had during Opeifa’s resumption indicated their willingness to drop their agitation in deference to the new managing director who they described as a member of the human rights family.

National President of the NUR, Innocent Aji, lauded Opeifa for his frankness.

He appreciated the MD’s willingness to listen attentively to their grievances, adding that the union would hold tenaciously to the promises extracted from him during the meeting.

Corroborating the NUR president, his counterpart at the Senior Staff Association, Marcel Okeke, said their decision to rein in the workers was informed by the human rights pedigree of the new managing director, and his openness during the meeting.

According to Okeke, the union leaders were enamoured by the fact that the managing director was once a comrade, adding that they had no doubt that under him, railway workers would enjoy a new deal and a new lease of life.

They reached the truce just as Opeifa assured them that under him, the NRC management would continue to foster greater collaboration with the unions for the purpose of promoting industrial harmony.

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Work set to begin on Green Line Rail, says Lagos Commissioner 

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Work set to begin on Green Line Rail, says Lagos Commissioner 

 

Construction work is set to commence on the 68-kilometre Green Line rail project, which will connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

The news came after the Lagos State government had signed an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) for exploratory work on the project to begin.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, made the disclosure on Tuesday.

“This landmark project will improve connectivity, ease movement, and boost economic activities between critical areas in Lagos,” he said.

The Federal Government allocated a total of N146.14 billion in the 2025 budget as counterpart funding for the Lagos Green Line Metro Rail project.

The 68-kilometre rail network will stretch from the Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina, connecting vital areas of Lagos, including Victoria Island, Lekki, and Ajah.

The Green Line is the state’s third rail line, coming after the inauguration of the Blue Line (electric) and the Red Line (diesel) connecting Marina to Mile 2 (extending to Okokomaiko) and Marina to Agbado respectively.

“This new line will transform our transport landscape, linking key areas like Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, and more,” Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of the state, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter).

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