The Federal Government, in its defence of the rail line stretching to Maradi, the Niger Republic from Kano State, revealed that Nigeria would become an export corridor from landlocked countries.
This disclosure was made by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Amaechi explained that to curb the challenges facing exportation of goods from foreign countries when they pass through Nigeria including checkpoints set up by immigration officers, robbery, among others, the rail line was conceived.
He noted that the Niger Republic was exporting goods through countries like Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and the Benin Republic.
The minister noted that businesses do not desire to make Nigeria an export corridor because of other factors like bad roads and customs.
Amaechi said, “It is simple, currently the Niger Republic is exporting through Benin Republic. All the countries that are landlocked in the West African Region are exporting through Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast.
“Why are they not exporting through Nigeria? Oh, your roads are bad, so the railway takes care of that, oh customs are difficult, they will charge us things that are not what we are charged in the Benin Republic, Immigration does not allow us.
“Even when we pass all these, police checkpoints on the road, customs checkpoints on the road, immigration checkpoints on the roads, then communities have their own checkpoints on the road, armed robbers attack us on the road. So we prefer to go to where it is cheaper and safer to do business.
“So what we are saying to you is we come to Maradi, we build offices, we build a warehouse, you put your thing in the warehouse, you deal with customs at Maradi, you deal with immigration at Maradi, deal with police or whatever you need for the goods to go, once you put the good on top the wagon, straight to Lagos, once it gets to Lagos, straight to the ship because the things you would have done in Lagos, we have done in Maradi. So it makes it cheaper and easier to do business.
“No community will stop the train and say where are those things from Niger? Or if you are importing from outside the country and you are from Niger of Chad, as soon as you finish from Lagos seaport the next place you see your goods is at Maradi.”
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Background On Rail Line To Niger Republic
The rail line is a 284 km standard gauge project that runs from Kano to Maradi, in the Niger Republic.
The project was given to a Portugese construction firm, Mota-Engil SGPS SA, on a $1.8 billion budget.
It will be constructed to serve as a link between three states in the northern part of the country including Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano, and the city of Maradi.
Amaechi disclosed that the project is estimated to be completed in 2023 with 15 stations in total, conveying a daily number of 9,364 passengers, a projected figure.
How The Rail Line Helps Nigeria
Explaining the advantages Nigeria stands to benefit from the project, President Muhammadu Buhari said that it would expand trade and commerce, while Nigeria would help Niger Republic ease the hassle of exportation.
He said that the expansion of the country’s commerce would help the country generate significant revenue.
