First Abuja rail begins commercial service

The first Abuja metro line which was commissioned on July 12, by President Muhammadu Buhari has commenced commercial operation.

 

The metro line which had since been
running free services commenced commercial operations on Monday,
beginning with the Airport-Idu-Central Area route.

 

Mr Okey Ugwuanyi, Airport Station
Manager, said the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as
been running free services the inauguration of the metro line.

 

He said that the cost of ticket is N1,000
for an adult on airport to metro station, N500 from Idu to Airport and
N500 from Idu to Metro station.

 

According to him, children will pay N700
between airport and metro station, N300 between Airport and Idu while
persons living with disability would pay N500 and N250 respectively on
the routes.

 

Buhari who commissioned the rail commended the Chinese Government for its investment in Nigeria’s economy.

 

At the inauguration, the president said the accomplishment of the project 
demonstrated his administration’s commitment to providing critical infrastructure in the country.

 

He said the exercise also demonstrated
the administration’s determination to ensure prudence in the management
of public resources, value for money considering the huge investments in
the project in keeping with the ideals of
its Change Agenda.

 

Buhari said transportation was the live
wire of any city and expressed optimism that the inaugurated of the
project would bring about a boost to the economy of Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) and enhance social life.

 

“I am aware that what we have on ground
today are coaches meant to provide skeletal services as we await the
main set of the rolling stock for full operations,’’ he said.

 

Buhari  said he had been
briefed on the outcome of the recent visit of the ministers of FCT and
Finance visit to China during which agreements for the procurement of
the main rolling stock
were signed.

 

The president assured Nigerians of the
Federal Government’s continued support for all the negotiations toward
the realisation of the Abuja Light Rail system.

 

He thanked the Chinese Government and
people for their investment in Nigeria and commended CCECC Limited – the
Contracting Firm, for the quality of work and timely delivery of the
project.

 

 “Let me place on to the
Government of China and the EXIM Bank of China for their support on this
and many other projects currently being executed in the country.

 

“This gesture further cements the already
existing cordial relations and developmental partnership between
Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.’’

 

The president urged the FCT
Administration, especially the management of the rail services, to
ensure efficient operations, good customer service and maintenance
culture in the operations.

 

Earlier, the Minister of FCT, Malam Musa
Bello, revealed that​ the Abuja Rail Mass Transit System was an integral
part of the FCT Transportation Master Plan.

 

He said the plan was designed primarily
to transport large numbers of people and goods from satellite towns into
the Metropolitan Public Transport system and the different Phases of
the Federal Capital City.

 

He said the Abuja rail system was
packaged in six lots planned for phased development, based on
preferential demand and available financial resources.

 

He added that the Abuja Rail Mass Transit
System was planned to integrate with the National Rail Network when
eventually completed.

 

“The Abuja rail is divided into Six (6) Lots and with total length of 290km. The lots are:

 

“Lot 1:​ From Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway through the Transportation Centre (Metro Station) via Gwagwa to Kubwa;

 

“Lot 2: ​From Gwagwa via Transportation Centre (Metro Station) to Nyanya/Karu;

 

“Lot 3: ​From Transportation Centre via Idu Industrial Zone to Nanmadi Azikwe International Airport;

 

“Lot 4:​From Kuje Satellite town to Karshi Satellite town with the remaining legs of the Transit way line 2;

 

“Lot 5:​From Kubwa via Bwari to Suleja and Lot 6:​From Airport via Kuje and Gwagwalada to Dobi,’’ he 
explained.

 

The minister said the implementation of the project had been divided into phases, with phase 1 inaugurated by the president.

 

He said FCTA had concluded an
infrastructure soft loan agreement with Exim Bank of China for the
supply of the remaining coaches, including their maintenance for three
years at a cost of 194 million dollars.

 

He said the bank would fund the project up to 157 million dollars or 85 per cent of the total cost, while 
FCTA would bring in a counterpart fund of 37million dollars (15 per cent).

 

Bello said 
FCTA had since commenced work on phase II of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project.

 

He said the phase 11 would cover a
distance of 32.54km from Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway at Garki Area I via
the Transportation Centre to Gwagwa and from Bazango Station to Kubwa.

 

He said the Federal Executive Council
(FEC) in 2017 approved the project for construction by CCECC at a cost
of 1.3 billion dollars.

 

“We hope that the minister of Finance
would consider putting this key project in the next borrowing plans, the
minister of Budget and National Planning would agree to it, the
National Assembly would approved it and that China
– Exim Bank would fund it as a mark of goodwill for the cordial
relationship between our two countries,’’ he said.

 

The president was taken on a guided tour
of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit and Abuja new International Terminal at
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

 

The Minister of State, Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, and 
Bello led the tour at Idu Rail Station and Abuja airport.

 

The Abuja Rail Mass Transit is the first mass transit project in Nigeria as well as in West Africa.