Railway
We’ll start running Apapa/Lagos-Kano freight train next month – Minister Alkali
We’ll start running Apapa/Lagos-Kano freight train next month – Minister Alkali
Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, has said freight train from Apapa in Lagos to Kano will commence operations by the end of the this quarters.
He also said construction of standard gauge rail line from Ibadan to Abuja would start soon.
He spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital when he paid a visit to the state governor Dapo Abiodun.
The minister accompanied by states commissioners of transportation were in Abeokuta for the 18th edition of the National Council on Transportation.
Alkali said the Nigerian Railway Corporation had started the movement of 90 containers daily at the APMT terminal Apapa to Ibadan.
He said that the ministry was currently in high-level discussions with foreign investors to see how the transportation sector could be fixed.
“In December last year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the Vice President to lead a delegation to attend a conference in Beijing.
“The Vice President was privileged to hold a bilateral discussion with the Chinese President, among the issues raised was in respect of our railway modernisation project.
“The project was segmented initially. From Lagos to Ibadan was completed and put into use, and Abuja to Kaduna, Warri to Itakpe. We are looking at the possibility of continuing the project from Ibadan to Abuja and from Kaduna to Kano,” he said.
The minister commended Governor Abiodun for the great work in the transportation sector he had started in the state.
The governor responding said plans by the Federal Government to connect industrial zones in the country through rail lines would reduce pressure on the highways and prolong their lifespan.
The governor also noted that the resuscitation of the narrow gauge from Ibadan to Abuja, when completed, would give investors the opportunity to wheel cargo all the way from Lagos to Kano State and improve trade and commerce.
A statement from the state government House on Friday said the governor commended the minister for the bold steps being taken to reposition the transportation sector of the country.
He noted that the plan by the Ministry of Transportation to resuscitate the Kaduna to Kano rail line would further open up the country for commerce.
“I am very glad about the laudable achievements under your watch. The initiatives that you’re championing, the intervention you have sought from the Chinese to resuscitate the Kaduna to Kano line so that you will now have the connection all the way from Lagos, Ogun, Ibadan, Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.
“You admitted to me that you are thinking of how to connect our industrial zones together so you can deemphasis vehicular transportation whilst connecting the Badagry Port to the rail line that will connect with the Lagos to Kano line, also thinking of a line that will go from Lekki port to Ijebu-Ode and connect to Kajola.
“This is indeed very laudable thinking. This is what you see when you put people who have the requisite experience and capacity in position of authority, ” he said.
The governor added that his administration, upon realising the importance of the transportation sector, quickly created a ministry that would see to the running of the sector in the state.
“We understand the importance of the ministry of transportation when I assumed office. We didn’t have that ministry in Ogun State. We had the Ministry of Works, and for some strange reasons, my predecessor assumed that the Commissioner for Works can carry out the responsibilities of the Commissioner for Transportation.
Abiodun said his administration was committed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope, adding that the state under his watch would continue to put the people first.
Railway
Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC
Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has disclosed that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) trains are included in the Federal Government’s free train ride initiative for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The LRMT, which currently includes the Phase 1 Blue Line Rail and the Phase 1 of the Red Line Rail, operates under the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
This announcement was made by Ben Iloanusi, the Acting Managing Director of the NRC, during an interview on NTA News TV on Friday, following the launch of the initiative earlier that day.
While Iloanusi stated that Phase 1 of both the Blue Line and Red Line Rail projects are part of the program, LAMATA has yet to confirm this inclusion.
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Iloanusi outlined the other routes benefiting from the scheme, which include the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, Warri-Itakpe Train Service, Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit in Lagos. Notably, little was previously known about the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit service until this disclosure.
“Let me mention the routes where this free train service is happening. We have the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, we have the Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, we have the Warri-Itakpe Train Service, we have the Lagos Rail Mass Transit trains, we have the Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and we have what we call the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit, which is also in Lagos,” he stated.
Iloanusi provided operational updates, stating that passengers nationwide can access free tickets online or, for those unable to do so, at train stations where they will be profiled and validated.
He noted that passengers using NRC-managed services (excluding the Lagos Rail Mass Transit) should reserve tickets via the official website, www.nrc.gov.ng, with a valid ID required. He also advised travelers to plan, arrive on time, and bring valid identification.
Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC
Railway
NRC announces special Xmas, end-of-year train service
NRC announces special Xmas, end-of-year train service
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it will operate an end of the year special train service on all its routes across the country.
It announced this in a statement on Wednesday by its Deputy Director, Public Relations, Yakub Mahmood, saying it was in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive through the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
It however did not indicate if the special train service would be free or not.
The Federal Government last year similarly declared special train services for Christmas and New Year, which were made free for all users.
The statement added the modality for this year’s special service would be released soon.
The latest statement read, “The management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive through the Federal Ministry of Transportation, hereby informs the general public that the NRC shall operate end of the year special train services in commemoration of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“This end-of-the-year special train service on scheduled passenger trains, is part of the government’s gesture towards an enjoyable end of the year celebration.
“Dates and modalities of the end-of-the-year Special Train Service shall be communicated in due course. We wish all our esteemed customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.”
Railway
FG hands over $3bn Port Harcourt-Aba railway project to NRC
FG hands over $3bn Port Harcourt-Aba railway project to NRC
The 62-kilometre, $3.02 billion Port Harcourt-Aba railway project has been completed by Federal Government and handed over to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
The Port Harcourt-Aba section is part of the larger Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge railway project, initiated under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The project supervisor, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Ayo Dada, formally transferred the railway to the NRC during a brief ceremony held on Thursday in Port Harcourt.
He said that the project, completed in May, had significantly improved passenger movement between Rivers and Abia, thereby enhancing their economies.
“The assets handed over include dismantled tracks measuring 283.060 km, rehabilitated and reconstructed 62.800 km of subgrade and the laying of 62.800 km of rail for the main line,” Dada said.
“This includes the laying of rail for sliding lines covering 5.690 km and the reconstruction of 27 sets of turnouts at Port Harcourt, Elelenwo, Obuzor, Umugo and Aba Stations, among others.”
Dada said that with the handover of the Port Harcourt–Aba section, the Federal Government would focus on the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri phase of the project.
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“The contractor has submitted the technical specifications and maintenance manual for the Port Harcourt–Aba section to the consultants.
“The ministry is committed to completing this project, which will foster national development,” he said.
The Managing Director of the NRC, Ben Iloanusi, commended the Federal Government and the ministry of transportation for the timely completion and transfer of the project.
Iloanusi, represented by the NRC Deputy Manager (Civil), Adesegun Ogunade, said that the railway had greatly benefited Nigerians seeking affordable transportation options.
“The rail line, now in operation, has started mitigating the impact of high transportation costs caused by economic challenges,” he said.
“Train services have been running for some time and passengers have reported that it has made commuting between Port Harcourt and Aba more convenient, faster and cheaper.
“People are already experiencing the benefits of this government’s policies and programmes.’’
He assured that the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri section would also be completed in due course, emphasising that adequate security arrangements had been made to ensure the safety of workers and passengers.
FG hands over $3bn Port Harcourt-Aba railway project to NRC
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