The Federal Government has reiterated its determination to complete and commission the 284-kilometre Kano-Katsina standard gauge railway project by December 2026. Officials confirmed the target date during a joint site inspection of the critical transport corridor on Thursday morning, August 27, revealing that physical execution has achieved an 80 per cent completion rate despite operational headwinds.
​The project inspection team, comprising top officials from the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Federal Ministry of Finance, international lending institutions, and representatives from the lead contractor, Mota-Engil Group assessed track laying, site yards, and civil works across the corridor.
​Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, the Director of Rail Transport Services, Engr. Habibat Buhari, reassured stakeholders during a brief press conference at the project site camp.
She acknowledged that seasonal downpours, security concerns along select segments, and localized land title disputes had temporarily impeded construction.
​”We have done a lot of work to reach 80 per cent physical progress, and key materials required for track laying are already stockpiled,” Buhari stated. “Insecurity in specific sections and issues concerning the Land Use Act have caused slight delays, but these are minor hurdles.
We are actively engaging local communities, state governments, and security agencies. These challenges will delay, but not stop, the delivery of this project. The December target remains unchanged.”
​Addressing financial stability at the venue, the Director of the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Muhammadu Kamal, verified that funding streams remain secure.
He confirmed that the Federal Government has fulfilled its financial obligations by releasing its 15 per cent counterpart funding, complementing the 85 per cent facility arranged with external development partners.
​The 284-kilometre Kano-Katsina route forms a core section of the larger $1.95 billion Kano-Dutse-Katsina-Maradi rail development, designed to boost regional trade between northern Nigeria and Niger Republic.
With local manufacturing supplying over 500,000 track components and earthworks nearing completion, officials expect rolling stock arrivals in time to meet the end-of-year operational deadline.
