Nigeria's Abuja-Kaduna rail project may be concessioned to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), to operate, a top government official said.
Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi announced this on Friday after riding in the train from Kaduna to Abuja, the nation's capital city.
Ameachi expressed the belief that the Chinese company has the capacity to do so.
The former Rivers State governor said the ministry was considering the concession to Nigerians or the company that built the standard gauge, noting that it was the first time Nigeria was operating standard gauge.
According to him, the main priority of the ministry is to train Nigerians on operation and maintenance of the rail, adding that trains cannot be taken abroad when it is bad.
"There is an argument in the ministry if we should concession it to CCECC that built it because they have the capacity to run it as a construction company," he added.
"So the likelihood of concesssioning it to CCECC is higher than to Nigerians, looking at the capacity or expertise but the key thing to me is that training must start today," the minister told reporters.
Also, the transport minister said the Lagos-Kano Rail project would be completed in the next two years, noting that it would generate employment for 250,000 Nigerians.
He said the ongoing rail project from Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar would generate more employment than the Abuja-Kaduna rail modernization project.
The minister told reporters that a training institute would be established by the Chinese company to train Nigerians on operations, maintenance and communication.
He said government would ensure that the rail service was affordable for the masses.
