The federal government on Monday signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Mota- Engil Group for the construction of $1.959 billion Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Railway lines.
The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, signed on behalf of the federal government, while the Managing Director of Mota- Engil, Antonio Gvoea, signed on behalf of the contracting firm.
The new railway corridor, which is to be located in northern Nigeria, will run through Kano, Jigawa and Katsina and through Niger territory as far as Maradi.
Other cities that to be connected with the rail line in Nigeria are: Danbatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina and Jibiya.
In a statement, the Director of Press at the Ministry of Transportation, Eric Ojiekwe, said that “the 283.750 kilometre rail line, besides developing freight and passenger transport as it will be integrated with road transport, will make a great contribution to the local economy as well as an important development in the social sector.”
The project duration is for 36 months and the contract type is Engineering, Procurement and Construction.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani; the Director, Legal Services, Pius Oteh; the Managing Director, Mota-Engil Group, Antonio Gvoea; head of Legal, Mota- Engil Group, Cameron Beverley.
Others are Magajin Garin Kano, Muhammad Wada; Director, Mota-Engil Group, Kola Abdulkarim; Vice President, Mota-Engil Group, Mohammed Abdul-Razaq; Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusfu Tuggar; the Managing Director, Nigerian Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria.
