Nigeria says Kaduna-Kano railway is about 90% complete

Nigeria’s Transportation Ministry said the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano standard-gauge railway was approximately 90% complete, in a report published October 23 by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation. Permanent Secretary Funso Adebiyi gave the estimate during an inspection trip from Jaji toward Kano. It is an official progress statement, not a separately audited engineering assessment.

Adebiyi said the inspected part covered about 145 kilometres of the broader 200-kilometre Kaduna-Kano route, with around 10 kilometres of work remaining on that stretch. The ministry highlighted rail alignment, drainage, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation as inspected elements. The report said elevation differences in some areas reached six metres or more, making stabilisation and protection important for the track’s safety and durability.

The official identified unresolved land acquisition and compensation claims within Kaduna metropolis as the main obstacle delaying the remaining connection to the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor. He said the matter would receive attention. The release does not state how many claims remain, the amount of compensation due or a completion date for this link. The stated 90% figure therefore should not be read as confirmation that uninterrupted Abuja-to-Kano passenger service is already available.

The ministry said a smooth train ride from Jaji toward Kano allowed officials to assess track geometry, alignment, drainage and concrete work before finalisation and test runs. The director of Rail Transport Services said the team was checking technical quality and passenger comfort. The release does not give an independent safety certification, testing protocol or timetable for public service.

Adebiyi separately said the railway sections from Kano through Kazaure and Daura to Katsina were targeted for completion by December, with work continuing around the clock. This is a schedule target for those sections, not proof they will open to passengers by that date. The release distinguishes those works from the inspected Kaduna-Kano route.

The corridor is presented by the government as a way to connect commercial centres in the northwest and provide another option besides road travel. Its eventual economic and mobility effects will depend on service frequency, fares, station access and reliable connections. The ministry’s statement does not quantify expected ridership, freight volumes, travel-time changes or project costs.

The announcement’s measurable claims are the reported completion estimate, route lengths and remaining work on the inspected stretch. The main disclosed constraint is land acquisition and compensation in Kaduna, while officials said technical inspection and test runs were underway. Further reporting should distinguish engineering completion from commissioning and actual passenger service, which the October 23 release does not announce.