De-Sadel Set to Deliver First Phase of 4,000km High-Speed Rail Across Nigeria in 36 Months
Oru Leonard
With De-Sadel Consortium bold investment, Nigeria is poised for a revolutionary transformation with the introduction of a high-speed rail project, a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The project, structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which in its first phase, aims to cover 1,600 kilometers across four major cities: Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt.
The CEO of De Sadel Consortium, Mr. Samuel Uko, announced this at the 2nd International Railway Conference on Tuesday in Abuja, noting that the project goes far beyond building a modern rail line.
Uko, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the just concluded International Railway Conference on Tuesday in Abuja, noting that the project is coming along with socio-economic boosters
He explained that the project which is structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), is expected to cover 1,600 kilometers across 20 states, linking four major cities: Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt. He added the project will be affordable for both the middle- and lower-class travelers.
“The high-speed rail is not just coming with trains. It is coming with industrial cities and opportunities for the young generation. It’s a futuristic project designed for the future of Nigeria,”
“High-speed rail runs either through tunnels or bridges. In our case, everything will be new, constructed on bridges. This makes it both faster and easier to build,” He stated.
Explaining further, the CEO said, De Sadel has secured nearly 90% approval ($60 billion investment) for the first phase, out of a total sum of 200bn dollars which is the entire sum of investment needed for the entire project of 4000km, with groundbreaking scheduled for the first quarter of next year, 2026. The first phase is expected to be completed within 36 months.
“Initially, our projection was a 20-year investment plan. Right now, it’s less than 10 years. If just 5% of Nigerians make 10 trips a year at $100 per ticket, the project will pay back in under a decade.”
Expressed gratitude for the government’s support said, “This has never happened on the African continent before. The world is watching to see what Nigeria achieves in the next two years.”
The project is expected to position Nigeria as a major hub for modern rail transport in Africa, and President Tinubu is expected to invite world leaders to the groundbreaking ceremony. De-Sadel’s CEO urges Nigerians to see the project as their own, emphasizing that it’s “not just for the company—it’s for Nigerians, for the people, and for the future”.
