FG says Lagos-Kano narrow gauge freight operations begin December

• While the railway corporation currently uses standard gauges for cargo transport from Lagos to Ibadan, the plan is to start operations from Apapa to Kano by December.
• The federal government has repaired the narrow gauge from Lagos to Kano and plans to acquire locomotives and wagons for container transport from Apapa to Kano.

Sa’idu Alkali, the Minister of Transport, has announced that freight wagon haulage along the narrow gauge from Lagos to Kano is set to commence in December. Mr. Alkali made this announcement during his visit to the Kajola Wagon Assembly Plant in Ogun on Tuesday.

He explained that the railway corporation currently uses standard gauges to transport cargo from Lagos to Ibadan but will soon initiate operations from Apapa to Kano by December.

The federal government has already repaired the narrow gauge from Lagos to Kano and plans to acquire locomotives and wagons to transport containers from Apapa to Kano.

Mr. Alkali emphasized that after container evacuation from Lagos, the narrow gauge will be used to transport them to Kano. During his visit to railway facilities, he instructed the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, to address the cleanliness of the coaches to enhance patronage.

Mr. Okhiria mentioned that a ministerial committee, headed by the former permanent secretary of the transport ministry, was established by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the former transport minister to examine freight charges. The committee’s goal is to ensure the smooth operation of freight rail.

He further explained that terminal charges are presently high due to double handling, making rail cargo movement more expensive than road transportation. However, they are actively working to address this issue and reduce charges.

Mr. Okhiria added that the NRC had resumed freight rail movement from the port, using the narrow gauge, and was in the process of repairing vandalized tracks and servicing wagons to ensure efficient operations.

The federal government had placed an order through the China Civil Engineering Construction Company to acquire additional narrow gauge wagons, totaling around 120.