Completion of light rail construction project in Africa set for 2016

Posted on :Monday , 9th November 2015

The completion of a light rail construction project in Nigeria has been set for December 2016, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has announced. The governor said that once complete the light rail construction project in Nigeria will start operation immediately.

The aim of the project is to ease the traffic situation in Lagos state that has been a thorn in the flesh for motorists and other road users.

Ambode said that the project is currently being supported by commercial loans, bonds and internally generated funds.

Another arrangement is being made for the Red line rail project which will be 30km long and will run all the way from Marina to Agbado. The railway line will pass through Nigeria Railway Corporation corridor.

The Lagos state Commissioner for Transport Dr. Dayo Mobereola, expressed his frustration when he said that the amount required to construct a kilometre of railway line in Nigeria when compared with other countries was double. But said this was due so many factors which includes wrong calculation of the cost of the project by international investors who hardly understand the Nigerian environment.

At the IPFA West Africa seminar with the theme ‘Unlocking rapid development of transport infrastructure in Nigeria,’ which was held in Lagos on Thursday, Mr Mobereola further explained that the other reasons why the project was abandoned was because of delayed approvals, lack of expertise and changes in project managers.

He also said that Lagos has a different soil texture from other regions, adding that the cost of constructing one kilometre of railway line in the state was $40m, and $20m in other places.

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