FG okays $5.3 billion for Ibadan-Kano rail construction

The Federal Government has approved $5.3 billion (N1.62 trillion) for the construction of the Ibadan to Kano standard gauge rail line project.
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this on Thursday at the third Maritime Stakeholders Interactive Forum.
He explained that the $5.3 billion project was approved at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, while the Ministry had also applied for funding to commence coastal rail for the Port Harcourt to Warri rail segment.
“Just yesterday, we got approval to complete the $5.3 billion Ibadan to Kano rail project. We have also applied for funding to commence coastal rail for the Port Harcourt to Warri segment. In my first term as minister, I completely abandoned the maritime sector to the heads of agencies. This time, that won’t be happening again.”
Also, Amaechi disclosed that the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, would be in charge of all maritime agencies, while he would focus on the railway sector. According to the minister, discussions with President Muhammadu Buhari on maritime safety had been completed with the assurance that Nigeria would have a single window in the maritime sector.
“I have instructed that the Minister of State for Transportation should personally supervise the maritime agencies, while I just oversee what is happening. There are two things I discussed with Mr President that I will be focusing on in this second term as minister, and they are maritime security and the single window project.
“I have assured the government that by the end of 2020, we should have a single-window in the maritime sector. On maritime security, I have told the Israeli firm HSLI that they are too slow. By now, they should have launched. I want to know the situation of things with the aspect of security on our maritime space.”
Loans from China: Earlier in September 2018, Amaechi disclosed that the Federal Government was committed to the project as it was negotiating about $6 billion facility from the Chinese EXIM Bank to do the project.