The Federal Ministry Transportation has announced a major milestone in the financing of the Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi in Niger railway project, with the securing of $1.3 billion facility.
The project is under the construction by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), who is funding the project through loans.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali , who made the announcement, said the loan signifies a monumental step forward in the completion of the critical infrastructure, which is poised to strengthen the socioeconomic ties between Nigeria and the Niger Republic.
Special Assistant to the minister on public affairs, Jamilu Ja’afaru, in a statement Tuesday, said this rail link, a key component of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is set to enhance regional trade, community development, and cultural exchange, aligning with the administration’s unwavering commitment to national development and a more interconnected African continent.
He said the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, and Alh. Muhammad Abdulrazak, a senior director with the African Development Bank (AfDB), have both endorsed the project as a catalyst for positive change, fostering economic growth and regional cooperation.
Ja’afaru further said the recent visit by Mr. Tang Zhigang, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation, and his delegation, has further bolstered optimism for the rail project’s potential to lay the groundwork for future prosperity between the two nations.
