Nigeria High
Speed Rail-An Overview
The country of Nigeria is considered to be one of the biggest developing
country in the world. It is already the continent’s biggest economy and it has
a great vision to develop its infrastructure to solve its mass transit problems.
If high speed rail is introduced in Nigeria, it would be a game changer for
them. Construction started in March, 2016 and though the completion dates have
not been announced yet, it is expected to start operations in this decade.
The project would be funded by Chinese companies, to the tune of $1.5
billion. Nigeria’s prime city Lagos would be connected to Kano, some 1,100
kilometers away and this would just be the initial step as part of forming a greater
railway network. “The system will be digitally operated using fiber-optic
cables, radio communication and wireless services. Judges appreciated that the
project, which will remove heavy freight from Nigeria’s stressed roads, could
save the country millions on road maintenance” (KPMC).
As of last month, the high speed locomotives have been bought. Operational
speeds could be as high as 150-160 kmph. An important economic note to be made
is all the contracts are made using the PPP model.
(A representational map of the stations-Image credits: The Cable)
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