Nigeria records 712km of railway in 5 years

The length of the Nigerian railway has increased by 712 kilometres in the past five years, according to a research by Afri-China Media Centre. 

In a statement, Afri-China Media Centre said the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) had within four years constructed four major railway projects covering a total stretch of about 703km. 

It said the railways projects like the Abuja Metro (37km); the Abuja-Kaduna railway (186km); the Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Warri (326km); the Lagos-Ibadan project (156km), with an extension of another 7km, has added to the country “a huge economic value.”

Afri-China said in the course of its research and documentation, it found CCECC and the Chinese government’s sincerity in handling and delivering the projects.

“The sincerity is confirmation that the relationship between China and Nigeria has no deceit to it, reason the company never defaulted in completing the over 110 projects they have handled in Nigeria in the 40 years of her operation,” the statement reads. 

“These projects have engendered development of Nigeria in no little measure. Their benefits are economic, social, developmental, diplomatic and extend to deepening expertise through the grooming of artisans and professionals for the country as the locals work on these projects.

“They have also contributed to manufacturing in areas related to the railway system. The sleepers on the railway tracks are fabricated in factories in Abuja at the CCECC Idu yards. The concrete works, quarrying and many more, and lately the train cargo production have taken roots in Nigeria through the CCECC projects.”