Nigeria railway project 'revived'

25 September 2009

After a three-year hiatus, the final 22 kilometres of railway going from Ovu to Warri in Nigeria is to be revived, the minister of transport has said - but some are calling for a wider scope.

Ibrahim Bio announced the government would front the N6.5 billion (£26 million) needed to complete the project, which are needed to relieve the country's over-used highways.

A Daily Independent editorial, while applauding the decision, called for the extension of the infrastructure to reach the Delta Steel Company jetty.

It argued this would do wonders for the iron and steel industries in the country.

The opinion piece went on to call for urgent investment in an effective railway network - the lack of which was a "national embarrassment".

"For a nation of Nigeria's size and geography, a state-of-the-art double-gauge rail system is a sine qua non for rapid development," it asserted.

These views were echoed by the Nigerian Guardian, which also highlighted the need for proper transport infrastructure and called the current network "a disappointment".

Category: Transport