President Bola Tinubu has set December 3, 2026, as the inauguration date for completed sections of two major northern railway projects, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council announced.
The 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway project has reached approximately 90 percent completion, according to Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council. At the same time, the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project has attained 70 percent completion.
When the administration took office in 2023, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi rail line stood at barely five percent completion, while the Kaduna–Kano project was less than 30 percent complete.
The projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s railway infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across the country and beyond.
Dele Alake, Spokesperson, APC Presidential Campaign Council
A Federal Government inspection team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, recently inspected the two projects on the president’s directive. Funso Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, recently evaluated both corridors on the President’s directive. The team carried out a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to check track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
Adebiyi expressed satisfaction with the construction work, citing the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching, and soil stabilisation. In addition, President Tinubu directed the immediate resolution of outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues inside Kaduna metropolis to finish the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano.
The December 3 inauguration will cover the 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section of the Kaduna-Kano project, alongside the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Katsina section of the Kano-Maradi project.
The Kaduna–Kano railway will serve as an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge line, establishing a continuous rail link between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano. The Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway is designed to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic.
In line with President Tinubu’s agenda, all ongoing infrastructure projects will be delivered in every part of the country as scheduled.
Dele Alake, Spokesperson, APC Presidential Campaign Council
Operating along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors, the Kaduna-Kano railway is expected to improve passenger transportation, facilitate commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel.
The corridor currently relies almost entirely on road transport, where traders face high fuel costs, vehicle breakdowns, delays and insecurity. Once operational, the projects are expected to stimulate local economies around stations, through markets, logistics, warehousing and services, and create jobs in operations, maintenance and supporting businesses.