The Federal Government has expressed confidence in the progress of the Kaduna–Zaria–Kano standard gauge railway project, announcing that construction has reached 90 per cent completion as preparations gradually shift towards final assessments and test runs.
The development brings the long-awaited railway project closer to completion, with the government hoping to improve train connectivity between Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.
However, outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues in parts of Kaduna metropolis remain a major concern that must be resolved before the remaining connection can be completed.
The latest update was provided by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, during an inspection tour of the railway infrastructure.
The visit was organised to evaluate construction progress and examine the quality of work carried out along the route.
Adebiyi commended the construction standards observed during the inspection, particularly the track alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone-pitching and soil stabilisation.
He expressed satisfaction with the engineering work, describing the quality of construction as exceptional.
According to him, the railway corridor features sections with significant changes in elevation, requiring extensive earthworks and carefully executed engineering measures to maintain the stability of the tracks.
He explained that some elevation differences along the route reached six metres or more, highlighting the importance of proper soil treatment, compaction and protective structures in ensuring the safety and durability of the railway.
“I want to confess that the quality of work is second to none. The rail alignment apparently is excellent.
“When you look through the window, you see a sharp elevation change, some as high as six metres, which tells you the volume of earthwork that is done. The embankment protection work is also great,” Adebiyi said.
The permanent secretary’s remarks indicate that the inspection focused not only on the percentage of work completed but also on the technical standards required to support safe railway operations over the long term.
Despite the positive assessment, Adebiyi identified unresolved land acquisition and compensation claims within Kaduna metropolis as the principal challenge affecting the completion of the remaining connection between Jaji and the Abuja–Kaduna railway corridor.
He assured affected stakeholders that the government was addressing the matter and that it would receive immediate attention. Resolving the outstanding issues is expected to help remove an obstacle to completing the railway link.
The compensation concerns are particularly significant because the broader objective is to establish a more continuous rail connection between the Federal Capital Territory and Kano, rather than leave passengers dependent on separate or disconnected sections.
Adebiyi also reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to completing the project, expressing optimism that passengers would soon be able to travel by train from Abuja through Kaduna and Zaria to Kano without interruption.
Providing additional details about the construction, he disclosed that the section inspected covered approximately 145 kilometres of the wider 200-kilometre Kaduna–Kano railway route.
He added that about 10 kilometres of work remained outstanding on the inspected stretch, suggesting that substantial progress had been made towards bringing that section to completion.
The government is also pursuing a December completion target for railway sections connecting Kano with Kazaure, Daura and Katsina. Adebiyi said work was continuing around the clock as the authorities and contractors worked towards meeting the deadline.
The proposed timeline reflects the government’s broader effort to improve railway infrastructure across northern Nigeria and strengthen connections between important population centres and commercial locations.
Meanwhile, the Director of Rail Transport Services at the Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Habiba Buhari, explained that the inspection was necessary to establish the technical readiness of the infrastructure before finalisation and test runs.
She said the team assessed several important components of the railway, including track geometry, alignment, drainage facilities and concrete structures.
These elements are essential to railway performance because defects in track positioning, drainage or structural integrity could affect the stability of the line, passenger comfort and the reliability of train operations.
Buhari said the exercise was intended to confirm the standard of the completed work and identify any areas requiring further attention before the project advances to the next stage.
“We are here to check the geometry, the alignment, drainage facilities, and quality of concrete works which we have been doing. We just want to finalise and test-run,” she said.
Beyond the technical assessment, Buhari noted that the inspection also provided an opportunity for officials to engage relevant stakeholders as the railway project approached completion.
Such engagements are important in addressing outstanding concerns and ensuring that issues requiring government intervention are identified before the infrastructure becomes operational.
When completed and brought into service, the railway is expected to provide an alternative means of transportation for passengers travelling between major destinations in northern Nigeria.
It could also improve mobility along the corridor and support commercial activities by making movement between connected communities easier.
The railway’s potential benefits, however, will depend on the completion of the outstanding construction work, the resolution of compensation disputes and the successful conclusion of technical assessments and test runs.
For now, the Federal Government’s latest update suggests that the project is approaching a critical stage, with officials expressing satisfaction with the quality of construction while acknowledging that some issues remain unresolved.
Although the authorities have expressed optimism about uninterrupted train travel between Abuja and Kano, the actual commencement of such services will depend on the completion of the necessary works and confirmation that the railway is ready for safe operations.
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