FG Sets December For Kaduna-Kano Rail Project Inauguration

The Federal Government has announced December 3, 2026, as the inauguration date for key completed sections of the Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge Railway and the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway projects.

The announcement was made by Dele Alake, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, in a statement outlining progress on major railway infrastructure projects under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to the statement, the 203-kilometre Kaduna-Zaria-Kano railway project has reached approximately 90 per cent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project has attained 70 per cent completion.

The Federal Government said the 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section of the Kaduna-Kano railway will be inaugurated alongside the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Katsina section of the Kano-Maradi railway on December 3.

The Kaduna-Kano railway is an extension of the existing Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway. When fully operational, it is expected to establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, improving transportation across some of Northern Nigeria’s major commercial centres.

The project is also expected to provide passengers with an alternative to road transportation, while facilitating the movement of goods and supporting commercial activities along the corridor.

Alake disclosed that when Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the Kaduna-Kano project was less than 30 per cent complete, while the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway had reached barely five per cent.

He added that a Federal Government inspection team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Funso Adebiyi, recently assessed both projects on the President’s directive.

The inspection included a train test-run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano. Officials reportedly assessed the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation, alongside passenger comfort.

The statement also disclosed that Tinubu had directed the immediate resolution of outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis to facilitate completion of the Abuja-Kano railway corridor.

Meanwhile, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway is expected to strengthen transportation and cross-border trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic when completed.

The Federal Government said the projects form part of its broader infrastructure development agenda, with ongoing projects expected to be delivered according to schedule.