The Federal Government has approved $3 billion for the completion of the Eastern Rail Projects, Transportation Minister, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali has said.
The minister said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was embarking on an unprecedented transformation of the transportation sector as a strategic move to unlock a vital artery for the economic development of the country.
He said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the fund, besides the ongoing efforts towards the completion of the 284-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi Standard Gauge rail project and the Kaduna–Kano rail line.
Alkali announced this while declaring open the fifth edition of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) stakeholders’ summit and awards at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja.
This year’s summit and awards had the theme: Building Sustainable Transport and Logistics Infrastructure in Nigeria, Current Trends and Future Insights.
The minister acknowledged that building infrastructure alone is not enough but ensuring that they are smart, inclusive, and sustainable in all ramifications to meet the needs of the country.
He described the theme of the summit as timely, apt, and relevant in consolidating ongoing reforms in the transport sector.
Alkali urged the summit’s participants to engage in robust conversations that would address the challenges facing the sector.
The minister praised President Tinubu and the Director General of the NITT for their foresight in developing the sector as the lifeblood of the economy and for recent approval of the National Land Transport Policy by the FEC.
Commenting on the measures the government had taken to further develop the sector, Alkali said: “We are upgrading our national pipeline transport network to ensure the efficient transport of oil and gas under the rail modernisation projects.
‘This initiative will strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on road-based haulage, and promote environmental sustainability by cutting emissions from heavy-duty trucks.
‘The future of transport is being shaped by innovation, and Nigeria is not left behind. Just a few months ago, at NITT headquarters in Zaria, we witnessed a landmark achievement — the successful test flight of drones developed by NITT engineers.
‘This milestone underscores our readiness to embrace indigenous technology. From drone systems that enhance logistics and emission monitoring, to intelligent transport systems and blockchain-enabled supply chains, the future we are building is both smart and homegrown’.
The Director-General of NITT, Dr. Bayero Salih Farah, said the summit provided a timely platform to ‘bring together stakeholders, policymakers, researchers, investors, operators, and leaders of thought in the transport and logistics sector’.
He added: ‘It is a forum to reflect on where we are, identify what must be done, and chart a clear path for the future of a sector that remains central to national development, regional integration, and global competitiveness’.
