The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has announced plans to develop a high-speed rail line linking Lagos to Maiduguri, with trains expected to operate at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed the plan on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation.

Adebiyi said the proposed rail project is part of wider efforts by the Federal Government to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on road transportation and expand the options available to commuters and businesses.

“The objective is to give Nigerians the freedom to choose between road, rail, air and water transportation rather than forcing citizens to depend almost entirely on roads,” Adebiyi said.

He said the government was pursuing what he described as a “rebirth” of the railway sector while also developing road, maritime and air transportation. According to him, rail transport would help reduce pressure on roads, particularly from heavy-duty vehicles, while improving movement across the country.

Adebiyi also announced plans for a Smart National Transport Data Bank and six standardised bus terminals across the country. He said light rail projects were also being pursued in Lagos and Kano as part of efforts to build a more integrated transport system.

The permanent secretary said investments in the transportation sector had already generated about 9,000 jobs. He cited roughly 4,000 workers engaged on one project and more than 5,000 on another, while also highlighting the Federal University of Transportation as part of efforts to develop skilled manpower for the sector.

On the maritime sector, Adebiyi said ports were undergoing reconstruction and automation aimed at improving cargo handling and reducing congestion. He said the different modes of transportation were being developed to work together and reduce logistics costs.

The announcement was made during the four-day 19th National Council on Transportation, which brought together federal and state governments, transport agencies and development partners to discuss measures for improving Nigeria’s transportation system. The council was held under the theme, “Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation.”

The proposed Lagos-Maiduguri high-speed rail line would extend rail connectivity between Nigeria’s commercial centre in the southwest and Maiduguri in the northeast. The government has not publicly announced a construction timeline, project cost or completion date for the proposed high-speed route.