Nigeria Set To Build Sixty Billion Dollar High Speed Rail

Nigeria’s federal government plans to partner with De-Sadel Nigeria Limited and China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings Limited to build a $60 billion high-speed rail network. The 4,000-kilometer line will connect major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt in phases, with the first 1,600-kilometer stage planned over 36 months.

At an Abuja meeting, government officials including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, received a proof-of-funds document from the Asian Development Investment Bank presented by De-Sadel’s CEO, Samuel Uko. Uko assured that trains would begin operating on completed sections before the entire network is finished.

Officials highlighted Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves,  a proven 210 trillion cubic feet onshore and an estimated 600 trillion cubic feet offshore – as critical for meeting the railway’s significant power requirements.

The director general of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Jobson Ewalefoh, stated that the proof-of-funds authenticity will be verified before the project progresses, stressing due diligence for transparency and financial security.

This announcement follows a separate $16 billion Lagos-Abuja bullet train proposal by AEC-Geofocus. While that earlier plan promised reduced travel times and integrated infrastructure, the Federal Ministry of Transportation clarified it had not approved the project, noting the submitted Outline Business Case remained under review and proof of funding was still pending.

With the new $60 billion initiative now proposed, stakeholders will be watching to see if it moves beyond planning to bring high-speed rail to Nigeria.

By Oshuniran Sheriff Ola