Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway

The Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is a standard gauge railway under construction in Nigeria. Once complete, it is expected to connect the country's two largest cities, the Atlantic Ocean port of Lagos in the southwest, and Kano, near the border with Niger, in the north, by way of the third-largest city Ibadan (also in the southwest) and the national capital Abuja in the centre. The railway will run parallel to the British-built Cape gauge line, which has a lower design capacity and is in a deteriorated condition.[1]

Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway
Overview
StatusAbuja–Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan operational
Other segments in planning
Service
Daily ridership3,700 (Abuja–Kaduna, 2019)
History
Opened26 July 2016 (2016-07-26) (Abuja-Kaduna)
7 December 2020 (2020-12-07) (Lagos-Ibadan)
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed150–250 km/h (93–155 mph)
Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway
 Lagos - Ebute Metta
 Ikeja
 Agege
 Agbado
 Kajola
 Ewekoro - Papalanto
 Abeokuta
 Oyo - Olodo
 Ido - Omi-Adio
 Ibadan
Abuja - Idu
 Kubwa
 Jere
 Rijana
 Kaduna - Rigasa
 Kano

The railway is being built in segments. The segment between Abuja and Kaduna officially opened in July 2016. The segment between Lagos and Ibadan began limited passenger operations on December 7, 2020.[2]

Construction

After Nigeria became independent from Great Britain, the colonial-era railways progressively fell into a state of disrepair. Passenger traffic on the Nigerian railways fell from 11 million in 1964 to 1.6 million in 2003. Freight traffic almost collapsed, falling from 3 million tonnes in 1964 to less than 100,000 tonnes in 2000.[3] In early 2013, it took 31 hours for passenger trains to travel between Lagos and Kano, at an average speed of just 45 km/h.[4]

Although projects have begun to rehabilitate the Cape gauge railways, economic growth in Nigeria has made a standard gauge line desirable.[1] In 2006, the Nigerian government awarded a $8.3 billion contract to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to construct a standard gauge railway from Lagos to Kano. Due to an inability to secure funding for the whole project, the Nigerian government decided to build the standard gauge line in segments and rehabilitate the narrow-gauge line in the meantime.[5]

Abuja–Kaduna

The 187 km segment from Abuja to Kaduna was the first to be built. Abuja was not on the national railway network, as it was purpose-built as a capital city after Nigeria became independent from Great Britain.[6] Kaduna is an important junction point on the existing Cape gauge railway network, where a branch line departs the Lagos–Nguru line for Kafanchan, on the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Railway. The construction of the Abuja–Kaduna segment cost $876 million, consisting of $500 million in loans from the Exim Bank of China and the balance coming from the Nigerian government.[6]

The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) began construction of the railway on 20 February 2011,[7] and it began laying track in 2013.[6] However, various difficulties delayed the completion of the route. Railway supplies were being stolen by miscreants, forcing CCECC to build a corridor fence to secure the tracks.[8] The decline in the value of the Nigerian naira led to a shortfall in government funding for the project.[6][8] Delays arose in the acquisition of land required for the railway through compulsory purchase. Although CCECC had marked the Daughters of Charity hospital in Abuja for demolition in 2014, the government did not pay compensation to the hospital until April 2016.[9] The railway was officially inaugurated on 26 July 2016.[6]

Lagos–Ibadan

A $1.53 billion contract was awarded in 2012 to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for construction of the Lagos–Ibadan segment (156 km) of the standard gauge railway by 2016.[5] However, the project has also faced delays. A ground-breaking ceremony finally took place on 7 March 2017, and the railway was scheduled for completion in December 2018.[10] Construction was delayed by heavy rains in Spring 2018,[11] and the Nigerian government had to deploy soldiers to protect the railway workers from hoodlums and armed robbers.[12] Construction was further delayed by the 2019 Nigerian general election, when CCECC evacuated its Chinese employees as a precaution.[13] Progress was slowed in 2020 by the social distancing needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, as only 20 workers were present on construction sites that once held 200.[14] The railway began passenger-carrying trial operations on December 7, 2020, with a single round-trip per day in the initial phase.[2] The 156-km journey taken 2:40, which is scheduled to be cut to only 2 hours by the official opening.[15]

Other segments

On 15 May 2018, the Nigerian Minister of Transportation signed a $6.68 billion contract with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to complete the remaining segments of the Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway. Construction is expected to take 2–3 years from the availability of funds.[16]

  • Ibadan-Osogbo-Ilorin (200 km)
  • Osogbo–Ado Ekiti [17]
  • Ilorin-Minna (270 km)
  • Minna–Abuja
  • Kaduna-Kano (305 km)

Future connection to Warri
See also: Rail transport in Nigeria § Standard gauge network

In 1987, the Nigerian government awarded a contract to build the country's first standard gauge railway, linking the mines at Itakpe to the Ajaokuta Steel Mill and onwards to the port city of Warri. However, the project stagnated and was still not finished when the Abuja–Kaduna line opened. CCECC took over construction on the line, with expected completion in 2020.[18] In October 2019, the government signed a $3.9 billion contract with the China Railway Construction Corporation Limited to extend the railway from Warri to Abuja, connecting it to the Lagos–Kanos Standard Gauge Railway.[19]

Operation

The completion of the Abuja–Kaduna line in 2016 came at a critical time for ground transport in the region. Starting in 2009, the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway fell into a state of lawlessness as it was besieged by armed robbers and kidnappers. Many of the victims were prominent government officials, including Sierra Leone's High Commissioner to Nigeria.[20] Fearing for their safety, travelers flocked to the train.[21] Daily patronage increased 270% to 3,700,[22] and railway officials were arrested for ticket racketeering.[23] Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume reported that he had to stand on the train for the whole trip, and Senator James Manager said, "It is one who wants to commit suicide that will take the road."[24]

Maps

See also

References
  1. Israel, Olumide (March 2, 2014). "Railway: The return of the economic live wire!". Vanguard.
  2. https://newsrand.com/2020/12/07/lagos-ibadan-rail-begins-operation/
  3. Komolafe, Oladayo (2015-02-17). "Overseeing the resurrection of Nigerian railways". News Agency of Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2016-07-26. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  4. "A slow but steady new chug". The Economist. 9 February 2013.
  5. "Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line, Nigeria". Railway Technology. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  6. "President inaugurates Abuja – Kaduna railway". 2016-07-26.
  7. "Abuja-Kaduna Rail line, Prospects and Challenges". Vanguard News. 25 July 2016. Archived from the original on 26 July 2016.
  8. Odittah, Chuka (2016-01-27). "Hope dims on N170 billion Abuja-Kaduna rail project". The Guardian (Nigeria).
  9. Odittah, Chuka (2016-04-08). "'Compensation over Abuja-Kaduna railway ready'". The Guardian (Nigeria).
  10. "Nigeria: Lagos-Ibadan Rail Project Ready in 2018 - Osinbajo". Premium Times (Abuja). 7 March 2017.
  11. "Rain, Others Delay Lagos-Ibadan Rail Construction". Nigeriana News - Nigerian Newspaper. 25 May 2018.
  12. "CCECC begins overnight work on Lagos-Ibadan rail project". Punch Newspapers. 23 December 2018.
  13. Nnodim, Okechukwu (16 March 2019). "Lagos-Ibadan railway: Chinese contractors return to Nigeria after elections". Punch Newspapers.
  14. "Lagos-Ibadan Rail to begin operations with 16 trips daily – NRC". Vanguard News. 16 August 2020.
  15. https://www.africanews.com/2020/12/09/nigeria-commences-lagos-ibadan-railway-operations/
  16. "Chinese firm, Nigeria sign 6 bln USD rail project agreement". Xinhua. 16 May 2018.
  17. https://www.thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2018/05/16/you-will-soon-board-train-to-ado-ekiti-amaechi-reveals/
  18. "20 new rail coaches'll arrive next month –Amaechi". Punch Newspapers. 22 October 2019.
  19. Ogunyinka, Victor (11 October 2019). "Nigeria/China deal: FG okays $3.9bn for Abuja-Itakpe rail line". Vanguard News.
  20. Augustine, Agbo-Paul (17 June 2017). "Abuja-Kaduna Road: The Bad, The Ugly". Leadership Newspaper.
  21. Okogba, Emmanuel (28 April 2019). "Abuja/Kaduna Commuters: Rail Raises Safety Niche on Road Transport". Vanguard News.
  22. "Insecurity: Abuja-Kaduna railway passengers rise by 270%". punchng.com. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  23. "Greedy Train Station Officials Hoard Tickets, Triple Prices As Abuja-Kaduna Kidnappers Scare Passengers Away From Road". Sahara Reporters. 8 April 2019.
  24. Iroanusi, QueenEsther (8 May 2019). "After standing in train for two hours, Senator wants more coaches for Abuja-Kaduna rail line". Premium Times (Nigeria).

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