As part of efforts to establish an integrated and efficient national transportation network in the country, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Transportation , on Monday, 31 August, 2026 unveiled plans to develop a high-speed rail corridor connecting Lagos with Maiduguri, reports thegazellenews.com
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, who made this disclosure on Monday, 31 August, 2026 at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation in Abuja, said the proposed Lagos-Maiduguri rail corridor could accommodate trains travelling at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour
According to Adebiyi, the rail network will potentially cut travel time between major cities and providing Nigerians with a faster alternative to road transportation.
Speaking on the theme, “Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation,” Adebiyi described transportation as a major driver of economic development, noting its importance in facilitating the movement of people, goods and services.
While describing the ongoing expansion and rehabilitation of the country’s railway network as a rebirth of rail transportation in Nigeria, the permanent secretary added completed railway corridors include Port Harcourt-Aba, Warri-Itakpe, Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna.
Disclosing that that construction of the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano rail line was approaching completion and was expected to commence operations by December, Adebiyi also disclosed that work was ongoing on the Kaduna-Daura-Katsina, Katsina-Jibia-Maradi and Kano-Dutse corridors.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, also speaking at the event, said infrastructure development alone would not be sufficient to build an effective transportation system.
Enitan, who spoke on the need for strong institutions, effective regulation, reliable data, innovation and a skilled workforce to complement infrastructure investments, described transportation as the lifeblood of the economy and urged stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments and relevant transport agencies to achieve an integrated national transport system.
