The Federal Government said it plans to build a high‑speed rail linking Lagos and Maiduguri, a project expected to accommodate trains running at up to 360 kilometres per hour and reshape long‑distance travel across the country.
Olufunso Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, disclosed the proposal at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation, a four‑day forum that convened federal and state officials, transport agencies and development partners.
He described the project as part of a broader drive to cut Nigeria’s reliance on road freight and passenger traffic and to create a more integrated transport network.
“The objective is to give Nigerians the freedom to choose between road, rail, air and water transportation rather than forcing citizens to depend almost entirely on roads,” Adebiyi said, adding that the government was pursuing a “rebirth” of the railway sector alongside road, maritime and aviation investments.
According to him, the government is also developing a Smart National Transport Data Bank and plan to roll out six standardized intercity bus terminals nationwide.
Urban light‑rail projects in Lagos and Kano remain under development, Adebiyi added, as the government seeks to knit local and long‑distance services together and reduce logistics costs.
He said investments to date have supported roughly 9,000 jobs, citing about 4,000 workers on one rail project and more than 5,000 on another, and highlighted the Federal University of Transportation as part of workforce development efforts.
In the maritime sector, Adebiyi said port modernization—including reconstruction and automation—aims to improve cargo handling and ease congestion that has long slowed trade.
The proposed Lagos‑to‑Maiduguri line would extend rail connectivity from the nation’s commercial southwest to its northeastern region.
