The President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday virtually presided over the ground-breaking for the commencement of the rail line linking Nigeria to Niger.
During the ceremony, the President justified the decision of his regime to construct a rail line linking Nigeria with the Niger Republic despite criticisms that trailed the announcement of the plan.
He said connecting Niger Republic through rail would, among other benefits, foster trans-Sahara trade and contribute to the expected gains in the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.
Buhari gave the justification while.
The rail line is known as Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi (Niger Republic) rail line with a branch line from Kano.
Describing the rail line as “another vital transportation infrastructure,” Buhari noted that it traverses the major commercial and administrative centre of Kano and passes through other economic hubs of the country including Kazaure, Daura, Katsina and up to the border town of Jibiya and the Niger Republic city of Maradi.
According to the President, the cities of Jibiya and Maradi constitute a significant trading core between Nigeria and the Niger Republic, adding that the tradition dated back many centuries.