Start of construction of a railway line between Niger and Nigeria

The construction of a railway line to link the Nigerian city of Kano to that of Maradi in Niger was officially launched on Tuesday by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, in the presence of the Nigerien minister in particular. Transport, Sadou Seydou, we learned Wednesday from an official source in Niamey.

The 284-kilometer-long project will cost around $ 1.96 billion and should be completed within three years, it was added.

After the launching ceremony in Katsina (northern Nigeria) which he followed by a video link from Niamey, Nigerien Prime Minister Brigi Rafini wanted to “congratulate and pay a great tribute” to President Buhari for having made it possible to “make this reality a reality. old project “.

“This is a structuring and integrating project which will allow our two countries, and even beyond, to intensify and strengthen their relations, both economically and socially,” he said.

According to Mr. Rafini, this is a very promising start for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This project will allow “a large part of our commercial relations to open out to the sea from the port of Lagos and (…) to diversify our points of access to the sea”.