Nigeria’s Rail Gamble: Why The FG Is Spending Big To Link With Niger Republic

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has provided further insights into the federal government’s motivation behind the Kano-Maradi railway project. He explained that the initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at strengthening food security across Nigeria.

Speaking during a Channels Television interview on Saturday, Opeifa noted that the rail line, which will connect Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic, is a vital link for securing Nigeria’s food supply chain. He emphasized that Maradi is a key hub for cereal and livestock production, which are essential to Nigeria and the broader West African region.

“According to the African Union’s Agenda 2063, African nations are encouraged to connect with landlocked countries due to their untapped potential. Research shows that food security in cereals and livestock for Nigeria and West Africa is closely tied to Maradi. This makes the Kano-Maradi rail line a strategic move,” Opeifa said.

He stressed that mobility is crucial to achieving food security, and that efficient logistics and transportation infrastructure are necessary for a stable food supply chain. “If mobility is missing in logistics and food supply, then there’s no real food security. The Kano-Maradi line, which will extend through Kaduna, Abuja, and Lagos, is designed to solve this problem,” he added.

Opeifa addressed public skepticism over the project, saying many people focus only on the foreign location—Maradi—without understanding its strategic value. “People just hear ‘Maradi’ and get suspicious, not realizing the broader logistics and economic benefits,” he said.

He also highlighted the federal government’s commitment to connecting major cities via an expanded rail infrastructure network. With the recent move of railway management to the concurrent legislative list, he said state governments now have the opportunity to access grants and develop their own rail systems.