I would just have loved it if President Tinubu’s bilateral trade pact with Prime Minister Starmer had included a railway agreement that would bring British investment into Nigeria’s network

Ayo Akinfe

[1] I would have loved to see both gentlemen sign an agreement committing both governments to the target of linking all of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas by rail by 2030

[2] The jewel in the crown of this network will be a high speed link connecting Abuja and Lagos, enabling travel between both cities within two hours

[3] Then there will also be a coastal high speed rail link that connects Calabar to Lagos. Again, this will make it possible to travel between both cities within two hours

[4] British operators like Virgin Rail or Network Southeast should then launch an Ecowas service linking Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, Freetown, Niamey, Bamako, Ouagadougou, Banjul, etc

[5] All components for the trains, engines and track equipment must be manufactured locally. This will see British companies open up manufacturing plants across Nigeria

[6] By 2030, the entire Nigerian network must be electric-powered. We must aim to have the greenest railway network on earth

[7] Nigeria’s railway network must have its own electricity generating and distribution capability so it has nothing to do with the national grid

[8] Every state capital must have an urban metro. Again British expertise will be brought in here with the likes of Transport for London contracted to run services if necessary

[9] Lagos and Abuja must have underground services identical to London Underground

[10] Every port, airport, refinery, heavy manufacturing facility and major industrial estate in Nigeria must have a railway link by 2030. Approval will not be granted for projects without a railway link.

Just look at how far we are behind other developing nations when it comes to kilometre of railway lines. In the 21st century, everyone is moving towards electrified trains to move goods and people around

[1] India - 67,415km

[2] Argentina - 36,966km

[3] Brazil - 29,817km

[4] Mexico - 23,389km

[5] South Africa - 22,387km

[6] Iran - 16,998km

[7] Kazakhstan - 15,530km

[8] Burma - 11,025km

[9] Pakistan - 8,100km

[10] Nigeria - 3,600km

Do you know that we do not have one kilometre of electrified railway track in Nigeria? How I wish we could reverse time for a week and renegotiate that UK-Nigeria bilateral trade deal President Tinubu and Prime Minister Starmer signed.

ayoakinfe@gmail.com