Nigeria is pushing ahead with its massive £9 billion Lagos-Calabar Railway project, which will link key cities across the country.
The 870-mile (1,400 km) line will connect Lagos in the southwest to Calabar in the south, making it one of Africa’s most significant transport upgrades.
Initially approved in 2014, the project faced funding delays until 2021, when the Nigerian government secured £8.6 billion in funding from Standard Chartered Bank.
The railway is expected to transform Nigeria’s transport system and provide economic benefits across the country.
The project will be built in two phases. The first phase will link Calabar to Port Harcourt, while the second phase will extend from Port Harcourt to Lagos.
The route will pass through cities like Benin, Warri, Onitsha, and Port Harcourt, with 22 stations planned across the route.
Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, stressed the importance of the project, saying: “This project will change the face of transportation in Nigeria, linking major cities from Lagos to Calabar and improving the movement of goods and people.”
“The route alignment will cover Lagos to Shagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Benin City, Port Harcourt, Aba, Uyo, and other key locations.”
The project will also bring a raft of new jobs and help reduce traffic on Nigeria’s roads.
It is also expected to boost trade by providing a more efficient way to transport goods across the country.
Safety systems, signalling, and electrical systems will also be installed to improve the railway’s operation.
However, while the Nigerian government now has the funding for the first phase, the project has not commenced yet and a completion date has not been disclosed.
