The Federal Government has announced plans to support the development of light rail projects in key Northern states, beginning with Kaduna and Kano, in a bid to improve public transportation and drive regional economic growth.
Minister of Transportation, Saidu Ahmed Alkali, made the disclosure while speaking at a 2-day interactive session on infrastructure, organized by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation in Kaduna. He said the initiative will be supported through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
“This marks a significant step in our commitment to enhance intra-city mobility and boost productivity in Northern Nigeria,” Alkali stated.
In addition to the rail projects, the Minister gave updates on the Renewed Hope Cities (RHC) housing project, revealing that 3,112 units have been completed in Abuja, 1,500 units in Kano, with an additional 500-unit estate underway. Furthermore, 250-unit estates are being rolled out in all other states, with projects already completed in Sokoto, Gombe, Yobe, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Benue.
He highlighted that the housing and infrastructure initiatives are expected to create over 250,000 jobs, with workers earning an average monthly salary of ₦150,000, while attracting more than ₦70 billion in private sector investment and establishing building materials hubs across the country.
On ongoing rail infrastructure, Alkali stated that the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge railway modernisation project is now 53% completed, while the Kano–Maradi project has reached 61% completion. He added that a 61-kilometre section of the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri rail line has been completed and is already in use.
The projects, according to the Minister, are a core part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at revamping infrastructure and uplifting livelihoods across Nigeria.
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