The Minister of Transportation Sa’idu Alkali has revealed that $35 billion is needed to meet the realization of an adequate and functioning railway transportation system in Nigeria.
The minister made this assertion on the occasion of the presentation and defence of the N46.6 billion 2024 budget proposal for the Ministry of Transportation, before the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Land Transport, in Abuja on Friday.
He intimated the lawmakers on the plans to scale up the transportation and logistics value chain to be commensurate with Nigeria’s population and size. Noting that this would ensure the connection of important industrial and agricultural hubs with railway networks.
He further said that despite the challenges faced due to funding gaps and dwindling revenue, the ministry remains committed to realising Nigeria’s Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan.
According to him, “The Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) in Zaria is set to undergo a significant expansion. It will see infrastructure improvements, increased research efforts and a broader training drive.
He seized the opportunity to further emphasis that the Ministry as part of its mandate, has continued to pursue the implementation of government policies in the Land Transport Sub-sector in the country, including issues relating to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the realisation of the transport interconnectivity for the region.
