President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to inaugurate the Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway on December 3, 2026, marking a significant milestone in his administration’s push to overhaul Nigeria’s infrastructure and boost regional connectivity.
The announcement comes as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council disclosed that the 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway project has reached approximately 90 percent completion. In a statement released on Sunday by the President’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, it was revealed that the administration has accelerated work on the critical northern corridor.
The completion of the Kaduna-Kano line represents a dramatic turnaround for the project. According to the campaign council, when President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the project was less than 30 percent complete.
“The Kaduna–Kano railway… will establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, strengthening transportation links across major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria,” the statement read.
Simultaneously, the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project has reportedly attained 70 percent completion. This project, which aims to strengthen cross-border trade with the neighbouring Niger Republic, was previously at a mere 5 percent completion in 2023.
A recent inspection by a Federal Government team, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, confirmed the progress. The team conducted a train test-run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to assess track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The officials expressed satisfaction with the construction quality, specifically noting the railway alignment, drainage, and embankment protection.
To ensure the December deadline is met, President Tinubu has directed the immediate resolution of all outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis. This, the statement noted, is to ensure the uninterrupted completion of the rail corridor from Abuja to Kano.
The inauguration ceremony scheduled for December 3, 2026, will cover the 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section of the Kaduna-Kano project and the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Kastina section of the Kano-Maradi project.
The administration maintains that these projects will facilitate commercial activities, improve passenger transportation, and provide a viable alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest corridors, aligning with the President’s agenda to deliver infrastructure across every region of the country.