The high-speed train was just completed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) and cost $849 million. The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Adeseyi Sijuwade, while addressing the media in Lagos, said
The high-speed train service will open for service in March 2016. It is the double-track, standard gauge between Abuja and Kaduna that runs at 120Km and 150 Km an hour. Come March, travelers will be able to journey from Abuja to Kaduna (and vice-versa) in less than an hour.
“Next month, we’ll be taking delivery of modern coaches to run on the standard gauge line, specifically for the Abuja-Kaduna line, so that that service can commence immediately, ” he added.
He further stated that the corporation was looking at a February-March timeline to commence delivery of services.
The rail project was supposedly completed in December 2014, but was never delivered. And even if the delivery is 15 months later than expected, it is good news that the country might finally be getting it right in the transportation sector.