NewStats: 3,259,343 , 8,169,858 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 06:22 PM h5h3b

The Federal Government on Wednesday approved $1,959,744,723.71 for the construction of a rail line that will link Nigeria to Niger Republic.

The approval was given at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that the sum approved for the development of the proposed rail line linking Kano-Dutse-Katsina-Jibia and to Maradi in Niger Republic is inclusive of Value Added Tax.

Amaechi said apart from that, the council also approved the award of a contract worth N3.049 bilion for the design, manufacture, supply, testing, and commissioning of one railway crane for the purposes of clearing rail tracks in situations of accidents.

https://punchng.com/breaking-fg-approves-1-9bn-rail-line-to-niger-republic/

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved 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.

The rail project is expected to serve as a major booster for the transportation of petroleum product from the Refinery and Petrochemical company in Maradi in Niger Republic which is already sending some refined petroleum product to Nigeria.

The Ministry of Transportation also got approvals for rather award of contract for the design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning of one railway crane of 150 ton capacity for emergency and recovery of rolling stocks.

This is to sort out the situations of accident on rail track at the total cost of N3,049,544,000.

The Council also approved the N12.088b for the Section two of the Ohafia to Arochukwu road.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola while briefing after the virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, disclosed that the section comprises Umuahia/Bende/Ohafia road in Abia State

The contract was approved for construction at N12.088 billion comprising a distance of 45 kilometers to complement Section One which was previously awarded in 2018.

“ That section is the section from Bende/Arochukwu to Ohafia which was 19.27 kilometers. So with this award now, the entire length of the road is now under contract with the same contractor and we hope for expeditious execution.”

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said FEC also approved the procurement of 1,800 units of laptop computers for training school and computer-based test examinations at three Nigeria Customs Service training schools in Gwagwalada, Lagos and Kano for a sum of N351,540,000, with a completion period of six weeks.

Mohammed who briefed on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed said the Ministry also got another approval for N197,843,100 for the expansion of the Nigeria Customs Service’s cash management’s software in compliance with International Public Sector ing Standards (IPSAS). This is also going to enhance the efficiency of the Department of Customs.

Finally, on behalf of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, a memo was presented today asking for approval for the augmentation of the contract for the construction of Petroleum Technology Development Fund corporate headquarters office in Abuja, for the sum of N3,773,784,399.48, therefore raising the initial approval for the contract to about N14 billion.

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs also got additional approval of N745.2 million, as part of the procurement of Field Forensic Auditors for the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission

This brings to the total number of field forensic auditors to 16 in addition to the earlier approved Lead Forensic Auditors, messrs Olumiluwa Bashir and Co.

“These people are now going to be charge of the nine states of the Niger Delta which has been divided into 16 lots. As I stated earlier, lots one is Ernst and Young for the headquarters. They will be undertaking the 19 years of audit and also bring out the organigram for restructuring of the NDDC for better performance in future.

Council also considered and approved the need to attach investigative security agencies, the relevant ones to each of the team to ensure transparency and also to be sure that whatever comes out is acceptable to not just in Nigeria but to the international community.

On his part, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola said, the Ministry got approval for the award of contract for the procurement of 52 number operational Green Maria vehicle to facilitate effective operation in the Correctional Service as well as ease of movement of awaiting trial inmate from the Custodial centres 247 of them in all to about 5022 courts in Nigeria.

“This is to compliment what we have already acquired between 2016 and 2019 of about 451 Operational Green Maria vehicles. The objective is to ensure that the delay associated with trial of inmate” he said

https://businessday.ng/news/article/fg-approves-1-9bn-kano-maradi-rail-in-niger-republic/amp/

is bubu alright

Fulanis will invade this country!

When Igbos become president, they'll connect a direct flight to Tel-Aviv or Jerusalem.

Then the next Yoruba man as President will lay a rail track to Benin republic.

Meanwhile no single rail line for South East ooo.. Choi.. Niger people seem to be more Nigerians than we igbos oo

Atleast everyone can see the injustice and why Nigeria will continue to breed terrorists up north

I just hope this is fake news.....

Buhari is mad

this debt is unnecessary! $1.9 billion plus $5 billion mambilla project that is close to $7 billion waste.
na wa o!

Hmnmmmnnn

Na dem wahala. Oduduwa Republic.... SOON

I'll be disappointed if they start this project before

Lagos - Port Harcourt - Aba - Calabar rail

No economic feasibililty, just a white elephant project, we are borrowing and adding to our debt. Nigeria will pay the price for keep electing visionless leaders.

That money would have fixed all four refineries.

Na the original "Niger" be that na, our own na the "Area" wey make up "Niger Area = Nigeria".

The country matter no dey let person shook mouth again sef

flyingpig:
Fulanis will invade this country!

When Igbos become president, they'll connect a direct flight to Tel-Aviv or Jerusalem.

Then the next Yoruba man as President will lay a rail track to Benin republic.

, Ibadan, Oyo state is kuku closer to Benin republic.
We will connect it to Benin republic, and Togo.

RuudVanNisteroy:
No economic feasibililty, just a white elephant project, we are borrowing and adding to our debt. Nigeria will pay the price for keep electing visionless leaders.

That money would have fixed all four refineries.

I am in of all comers to build their refineries and sell

Vulcanheph:
I just hope this is fake news.....

It is not. It will link Niger Republic to Lagos ports and increase revenue from customs duties. It is more viable than wasting money building rail lines to the five gully erosion ravaged states that will end up swallowed by big gullies.

Sammy07:


, Ibadan, Oyo state is kuku closer to Benin republic.
We will connect it to Benin republic, and Togo.

Buhari has set a very bad precedence.

Smh

Sammy07:
I'll be disappointed if they start this project before

Lagos - Port Harcourt - Aba - Calabar rail

I won't be disappointed if they start it ahead of the Lagos-PH-Calabar rail. Buhari no dey kari Fulani-themed projects joke! Something wey dey don approve na e u say u will be disappointed Beta carry shovel, wheel barrow, rag and make yourself available for construction jobs in Niger republic axis at least

35824L:
It is not. It will link Niger Republic to Lagos ports and increase revenue from customs duties. It is more viable than wasting money building rail lines to the five gully erosion ravaged states that will end up swallowed by big gullies.

And how are you sure this is their plan?

can't they build Lagos - Port Harcourt - Aba - calabar rail first?

and link.
Aba - Makurdi - taraba - Kano - Yobe - Niger Republic

or
Aba - Makurdi - Taraba - Adamawa - Niger Republic?

35824L:
It is not. It will link Niger Republic to Lagos ports and increase revenue from customs duties. It is more viable than wasting money building rail lines to the five gully erosion ravaged states that will end up swallowed by big gullies.

this is absolute nonsense!
Nigeria has signed itself up to the Africa free trade zone project therefore there is no income of significance to Nigeria Customs!
the labour cost in Niger is far lower than yours
So in essence you are making your Nation nothing more than a free road with no benefits.

As it is this moment.the reason for close borders is because Benin,Togo and Ghana ports are more efficient than Lagos.

So why incur close to $2billion to feed another country

flyingpig:
I won't be disappointed if they start it ahead of the Lagos-PH-Calabar rail. Buhari no dey kari Fulani-themed projects joke! Something wey dey don approve na e u say u will be disappointed Beta carry shovel, wheel barrow, rag and make yourself available for construction jobs in Niger republic axis at least

Like seriously it's absurd.

What is the economic viability of this project to Nogeria? See wasted development.Rail line to Maradi-Niger Republic? Charity starts from home.

Buhari is working, haters are crying.

flyingpig:
Fulanis will invade this country!

When Igbos become president, they'll connect a direct flight to Tel-Aviv or Jerusalem.

Then the next Yoruba man as President will lay a rail track to Benin republic.

This is one of the people dragging Nigeria backwards with their tribalism.

But I trust President Buhari. He'll never allow himself to be distracted by haters, psychopaths, chauvinists and enemies of Nigeria.

He's like a moving train, unstoppable. He'll never look back until he takes Nigeria to the promised land.

God bless Nigeria...

SEE HATERS BELOW...

naija4life247:
Buhari is mad

longetivity:
is bubu alright

To the haters above, Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I do have I will give you.. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, receive sense!

And by so doing, Katsina all the way to Jibia and the core NW in general, will finally be linked to the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos by connection with the Kano-Lagos rail line, for trade and commerce.

All we want is progress and development anywhere and everywhere in Nigeria.

Carry Go.

good

Which way Nigeria.

Kudos

Meanwhile Buhari told eastern leaders that there is no money to biuld just one single rail track across eastern Nigeria! And there are still some easterners who fervently believe in this evil contraption

What about the coastal rail,they are not saying anything about it