The proposed rail line from Kano in
Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic is going to cover a track length of
248 kilometres and will pass through seven senatorial districts in the
North.
According to information gathered from
the Federal Ministry of Transportation in Abuja on Monday, the rail
line, which is already budgeted for in the 2018 Appropriation Bill
currently before the National Assembly, will connect at least seven
cities in Nigeria and one city in Niger Republic.
The rail line, which will start from
Kano, is to pass through Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina, Jibia
and terminate in Maradi, Niger Republic.
It will connect at least three states in the North, which are Jigawa, Kano and Katsina.
It was also learnt that the rail line,
when completed, would assist in the supply of crude oil from Niger
Republic to the refinery being built in the border town between both
countries.
The border town is close to Katsina
State and a mutual agreement for the construction of the refinery was
reached between Nigeria and Niger Republic last week.
However, senior officials at the Federal Ministry of Transportation could not tell the actual cost of the project.
They also did not reveal if the facility
would be solely funded by the Federal Government or if it would be
jointly financed by both countries or by private investors.
It was further gathered that the line would serve in the transportation of mineral resources from Nigeria to Niger and back.
Explaining why crude will be moved by
rail to the refinery, sources at the ministry stated that the measure
would be temporary, as both countries were also planning to construct
pipelines to link the refinery.
On Friday, The CHASE WORLD NEWS had
reported that Nigeria and the Republic of Niger had agreed to construct a
refinery in a border town located between both countries and close to
Katsina State.
According to the Federal Ministry of
Petroleum Resources, the agreement was reached between both nations to
build the facility and for the construction of a crude oil pipeline from
Niger Republic to the new refinery.
The FMPR in several Twitter messages had
said, “The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, met
with the President of the Republic of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, and
the Energy Minister of the Republic of Niger, Mr. Foumakoye Gado.
“Mutually beneficial agreement was
reached for the construction of a refinery in the border town between
the Republic of Niger and Katsina, Nigeria, and a crude oil pipeline
from the Republic of Niger to the new refinery. Bilateral/technical
agreements to be signed in coming days.”
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