1. History
    Abuja–Kaduna   Lagos–Ibadan    Other segments    Future connection to Warri  

2. Maps

3. See also

4. References

Lagos–Ibadan under construction

Other segments in planning

exKBHFa~~Lagos

exHST~~Agege

exHST~~Agbado

exHST~~Kajola

exHST~~Ewekoro - Papalanto

exHST~~Abeokuta

exHST~~Oyo - Olodo

exHST~~Ido - Omi-Adio

exKBHFe~~Ibadan

exSTR~~

KBHFa~~Abuja - Idu

HST~~Kubwa

HST~~Jere

HST~~Rijana

KBHFe~~Kaduna - Rigasa

The Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is an under construction standard gauge railway across Nigeria, from the Atlantic Ocean port of Lagos to Kano, near the Niger border. The railway will run parallel to the British-built Cape gauge line, which has a lower design capacity and is in a deteriorated condition.^[1]

The railway is being built in segments. Only the segment between Abuja and Kaduna has been completed so far, and services began officially in July 2016. The segment between Lagos and Ibadan is under construction.

History

After Nigeria became independent from Great Britain, the colonial-era railways progressively fell into a state of disrepair. Passenger traffic on the Nigerian railways fell from 11 million in 1964 to 1.6 million in 2003. Freight traffic almost collapsed, falling from 3 million tonnes in 1964 to less than 100,000 tonnes in 2000.^[2] In early 2013, it took 31 hours for passenger trains to travel between Lagos and Kano, at an average speed of just 45 km/h.^[3]

Although projects have begun to rehabilitate the Cape gauge railways, economic growth in Nigeria has made a standard gauge line desirable.^[1] In 2006, the Nigerian government awarded a $8.3 billion contract to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to construct a standard gauge railway from Lagos to Kano. Due to an inability to secure funding for the whole project, the Nigerian government decided to build the standard gauge line in segments and rehabilitate the narrow-gauge line in the meantime.^[4]

Abuja–Kaduna

The 187 km segment from Abuja to Kaduna was the first to be built. Abuja was not on the national railway network, as it was purpose-built as a capital city after Nigeria became independent from Great Britain.^[6] Kaduna is an important junction point on the existing Cape gauge railway network, where a branch line departs the Lagos–Nguru line for Kafanchan, on the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Railway.

The construction of the Abuja–Kaduna segment cost $876 million, consisting of $500 million in loans from the Exim Bank of China and the balance coming from the Nigerian government.^[5] The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) originally expected to complete the project in December 2014.^[6]

However, various difficulties delayed the opening of the route. Railway supplies were being stolen by miscreants, forcing CCECC to build a corridor fence to secure the tracks.^[6] The decline in the value of the Nigerian naira led to a shortfall in government funding for the project.^[5][6] Delays arose in the acquisition of land required for the railway through compulsory purchase. Although CCECC had marked the Daughters of Charity hospital in Abuja for demolition in 2014, the government did not pay compensation to the hospital until April 2016.^[7]

Construction began on 20 February 2011.^[8] Tracklaying began in 2013, and the railway began trial operations in June 2016. The railway was officially inaugurated on 26 July 2016.^[5]

Lagos–Ibadan

A $1.53 billion contract was awarded in 2012 to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for construction of the Lagos–Ibadan segment (156 km) of the standard gauge railway by 2016.^[4] However, the project has also faced delays. A ground-breaking ceremony finally took place on 7 March 2017, and the railway was scheduled for completion in December 2018.^[9] Construction was delayed by heavy rains in Spring 2018,^[10] and the Nigerian government had to deploy soldiers to protect the railway workers from hoodlums and armed robbers. The railway is now scheduled to be completed in February 2019 but because of the country's general election, it will be completed at a later date.^[11]

Other segments

On 15 May 2018, the Nigerian Minister of Transportation signed a $6.68 billion contract with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to complete the remaining segments of the Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway. Construction is expected to take 2-3 years from the availability of funds.^[12]

• Ibadan-Ilorin (200 km)
• Ilorin-Minna (270 km)
• Minna–Abuja
• Kaduna-Kano (305 km)

Future connection to Warri

In 1987, the Nigerian government awarded a contract to build the country's first standard gauge railway, linking the mines at Itakpe to the steelworks at Ajaokuta and onwards to the port city of Warri. However, the project stagnated and was still not finished when the Abuja–Kaduna line opened. The government has announced plans to complete the railway by June 2018,^[13] and there are plans to extend the line to Abuja to connect with the Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway.^[14]

Maps

• [https://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/nigeria.pdf UN Map]
• UNHCR Atlas Map

See also

• Rail transport in Nigeria
• Railway stations in Nigeria

References

• Patrick Dixon
• Patrick Dixon (cricketer)
• Patrick D. Norton
• Patrick Doherty
• Patrick Dolan
• Patrick Dollan
• Patrick Dollard
• Patrick Donnelly (bishop)
• Patrick Donner
• Patrick Dooley
• Patrick Dorrian
• Patrick Douthit
• Patrick Dowling
• Patrick Downey
• Patrick Doyle
• Patrick Doyle (businessman)
• Patrick Drake
• Patrick Drewry
• Patrick Drury
• Patrick D. Stewart
• Patrick Duff
• Patrick Duffy (actor)
• Patrick Duffy (bishop)
• Patrick Duffy (disambiguation)
• Patrick Duggan