Presidency Debunks Kano-Maradi Rail Line Project

The Presidency has debunked the story that the Nigerian Government has approved a project rail line that connects Kano State to Maradi in Niger Republic.

AllNews had reported on a story regarding the concession of a rail line project approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and confirmed by the transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi, to the media in Abuja.

The minister had said that the president had signed off on the project at the Federal Executive Council meeting.

Amaechi had said, “The second one (approval) is the award of contract for the development of the proposed Kano-Katsina-Jibia to Maradi rail line in Niger Republic and to Dutse, the capital of Jigawa, for a total cost of $1,959,744,723.71, inclusive of 7.5% VAT.”

Giving clarification on the matter, the Presidency said that the rail will only lead "to the designated border point."

In a tweet, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had laid down the fine points of the proposed rail line.

He tweeted, “Nigeria isn’t building rail line into Niger but, only to the designated Border point. “An agreement between Nigeria and Niger in 2015, coordinated by the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Cooperation has a plan for “Kano-Katsina-Maradi Corridor Master Plan, (K2M).

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“Going by this, the two nations would each build a rail track to meet at the border town of Maradi.

“Nigerian delegates to that meeting comprised officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Boundaries Commission, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources as well as those of Kano & Katsina states. 

“The objective of the rail is the harnessing of raw materials, mineral resources and agricultural produce.

“When completed, it will serve domestic industries and play the role of a viable transportation backbone to the West African subregion, starting with the neighbouring Niger Republic for their export and import logistic chain.”