As part of efforts to accelerate regional development and strengthen transport infrastructure in the North, the Federal Government has secured a N250 billion loan to fund major light rail projects in Kaduna and Kano States.
The funding is aimed at improving transportation between the two states, easing the movement of people and goods, and stimulating local economies.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the funding would be split between the two projects, with N150 billion allocated to Kano and N100 billion earmarked for Kaduna.
According to the minister, President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to ensuring that every region benefits equitably from the nation’s capital projects.
“No part of the country is being left behind. The light rail projects in Kaduna and Kano are proof of this inclusive development drive,” he said.
Idris further explained that local governments are also being reintegrated into Nigeria’s growth strategy, stressing that the President is determined to entrench financial autonomy at the grassroots level.
He added that the removal of fuel subsidies has increased revenue flows to subnational governments, enabling them to expand development initiatives.
“Thanks to the reforms, state governments are now receiving significantly higher allocations, empowering them to take on more projects without heavy borrowing,” the minister noted.
The Guild reports that the Kaduna-Kano rail funding forms part of a broader plan by the Tinubu administration to stimulate nationwide infrastructure renewal and improve intercity transportation systems.
