By Chesa Chesa
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is accelerating the completion of major railway projects in Northern Nigeria, with the Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway scheduled for inauguration on December 3, 2026.
The 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway project has reached approximately 90 per cent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project is now 70 per cent complete.
According to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, the projects have recorded significant progress since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
It said the Kano–Katsina–Maradi project was barely five per cent complete when the President took office, while the Kaduna–Kano railway had achieved less than 30 per cent completion.
The council said the projects underscore the administration’s commitment to expanding railway infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across Nigeria and beyond.
The Kaduna–Kano railway, an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway, will establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, linking major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria.
The two projects were recently inspected on the directive of President Tinubu by a Federal Government team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi.
Adebiyi reportedly expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
The inspection also included a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The council said the President had directed that outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis be resolved immediately to facilitate the completion of the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano.
It added that the completed 190-kilometre Jaji–Kano section of the Kaduna–Kano project, as well as the 250-kilometre Dawanu–Kano–Kazaure–Daura–Katsina section of the Kano–Maradi project, would be inaugurated on December 3, 2026.
When operational, the Kaduna–Kano railway is expected to improve passenger transportation, boost commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.
Similarly, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway is expected to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.
The council reaffirmed that, in line with President Tinubu’s agenda, ongoing infrastructure projects across the country would be completed as scheduled.
The statement was signed by Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, and dated November 8, 2026.
