Lukman Abdulmalik
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, was represented by his Deputy Comrade Aminu Abdussalam alongside the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmad Alkali, has officially launched a freight train service from the Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano to the APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos.
Governor Abba stated that the freight train service will alleviate the transportation challenges businessmen face.
“Now we are embarking on a cheaper means of transportation, businessmen/women will now maximize the new service.
“This project will benefit the countries in the Sahelian areas, the northern region, the northeast, and the northwest, bringing back Kano to its lost glory of being the center of commerce,” Abdussalam said.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmad Alkali, presided over the inaugural train service at Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano
He emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration prioritizes the construction of a modern, safe, secure, and sustainable transportation network, recognizing transportation as a doorway to the national economy and a major enabler of economic progress.
Alkali stated that the program is part of a series of activities by the Federal Ministry of Transportation to operationalize and sustain effective rail services.
During his familiarization tour in October 2023, the Minister recalled his previous efforts to relieve port congestion by commissioning goods containers from APMT Apapa to Ibadan on Standard Gauge.
The Minister said the federal government’s recent achievements, including securing financing for the completion of the Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge project and the ongoing construction of the Kano-Maradi rail line.
He reassured the public that the construction of the Standard Gauge from Lagos to Kano is progressing at an appreciable speed.
Alkali emphasized the significance of this initiative in restoring freight operations to Kano, northern Nigeria’s commercial nerve, without jeopardizing the continuing Standard Gauge work.
Ahmad Rabiu, Managing Director of Dala Inland Dry Port, claimed that the service, which commenced on May 31, establishes Kano as a major cargo processing and export center.
“Dala Inland is a 200-hectare project, the first port of destination in the hinterland with dedicated rail services.”
He described Kano’s historical importance in trans-Saharan trade, pointing out that the city handles 7% of the country’s cargo bound for ports.
