President Bola Tinubu’s administration 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 All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council said in a press statement on Sunday.
The 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano line has reached about 90 percent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway stands at 70 percent, according to Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
When Tinubu took office in 2023, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi project was at roughly 5 percent completion and the Kaduna–Kano line was below 30 percent, the statement said.
The Kaduna–Kano railway is an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge line. Once finished, it will create a continuous rail link between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano. Officials say the completed 190-kilometre Jaji–Kano section of the 205-kilometre Kaduna–Kano project, along with a 250-kilometre stretch of the Kano–Maradi line running through Dawanu, Kano, Kazaure, Daura and Katsina, are set for the December 3 inauguration.
A federal government team led by Engr. Funso Adebiyi, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, recently inspected both projects on the president’s directive. The team expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, including railway alignment, drainage, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation. Officials also conducted a train test-run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano.
President Tinubu has directed that remaining land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis be resolved immediately so the full Abuja–Kano corridor can be completed.
The Kaduna–Kano line is expected to improve passenger services and commercial activity along one of northern Nigeria’s busiest corridors and offer an alternative to road travel. The Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway is intended to boost cross-border transport and trade with neighbouring Niger Republic.
The statement said the projects form part of the administration’s wider effort to expand railway infrastructure and improve regional connectivity across the country.
Read the full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT
ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
PRESIDENT TINUBU RAMPS UP COMPLETION OF RAIL PROJECTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
*Kaduna-Kano rail set for December 3 inauguration
*Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail project reaches 70% completion
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, one of the administration’s legacy projects, has reached approximately 90 percent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project has attained 70 percent completion.
When President Tinubu assumed office in 2023,
Kano-Kastina-Maradi rail project was at barely 5% while Kaduna-Kano was less than 30% completion.
The projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s railway infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across the country and beyond.
The Kaduna–Kano railway, an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge line, will establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, strengthening transportation links across major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria.
The two rail 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, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction work, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
The inspection included a train test-run journey from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano, allowing officials to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The President has also directed that all outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis should be resolved immediately so that the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano will be completed.
The completed 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section out of the entire 205-kilometre stretch of Kaduna-Kano rail project and the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Kastina section of the Kano-Maradi project will be inaugurated by December 3, 2026.
When operational, the Kaduna–Kano railway will improve passenger transportation, facilitate commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.
Similarly, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway, which has reached 70 percent completion, is expected to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic.
In line with President Tinubu’s agenda, all ongoing infrastructure projects will be delivered in every part of the country as scheduled.
Dele Alake
Spokesperson
APC Presidential Campaign Council
November 8, 2026
Tinubu administration targets December inauguration for Kaduna-Kano rail as northern projects advance – APC Campaign Council
President Bola Tinubu’s administration 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 All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council said in a press statement on Sunday.
The 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano line has reached about 90 percent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway stands at 70 percent, according to Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
When Tinubu took office in 2023, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi project was at roughly 5 percent completion and the Kaduna–Kano line was below 30 percent, the statement said.
The Kaduna–Kano railway is an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge line. Once finished, it will create a continuous rail link between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano. Officials say the completed 190-kilometre Jaji–Kano section of the 205-kilometre Kaduna–Kano project, along with a 250-kilometre stretch of the Kano–Maradi line running through Dawanu, Kano, Kazaure, Daura and Katsina, are set for the December 3 inauguration.
A federal government team led by Engr. Funso Adebiyi, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, recently inspected both projects on the president’s directive. The team expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, including railway alignment, drainage, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation. Officials also conducted a train test-run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano.
President Tinubu has directed that remaining land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis be resolved immediately so the full Abuja–Kano corridor can be completed.
The Kaduna–Kano line is expected to improve passenger services and commercial activity along one of northern Nigeria’s busiest corridors and offer an alternative to road travel. The Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway is intended to boost cross-border transport and trade with neighbouring Niger Republic.
The statement said the projects form part of the administration’s wider effort to expand railway infrastructure and improve regional connectivity across the country.
Read the full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT
ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
PRESIDENT TINUBU RAMPS UP COMPLETION OF RAIL PROJECTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
*Kaduna-Kano rail set for December 3 inauguration
*Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail project reaches 70% completion
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, one of the administration’s legacy projects, has reached approximately 90 percent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project has attained 70 percent completion.
When President Tinubu assumed office in 2023,
Kano-Kastina-Maradi rail project was at barely 5% while Kaduna-Kano was less than 30% completion.
The projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s railway infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across the country and beyond.
The Kaduna–Kano railway, an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge line, will establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, strengthening transportation links across major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria.
The two rail 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, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction work, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
The inspection included a train test-run journey from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano, allowing officials to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The President has also directed that all outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis should be resolved immediately so that the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano will be completed.
The completed 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section out of the entire 205-kilometre stretch of Kaduna-Kano rail project and the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Kastina section of the Kano-Maradi project will be inaugurated by December 3, 2026.
When operational, the Kaduna–Kano railway will improve passenger transportation, facilitate commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.
Similarly, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway, which has reached 70 percent completion, is expected to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic.
In line with President Tinubu’s agenda, all ongoing infrastructure projects will be delivered in every part of the country as scheduled.
Dele Alake
Spokesperson
APC Presidential Campaign Council
November 8, 2026