$60bn High-Speed Rail to Link Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt

• If fully approved, the high-speed rail is expected to transform transportation, accelerate industrial growth, and strengthen Nigeria’s gas economy

• The project will be delivered by De-Sadel Nigeria Limited in partnership with China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings Limited and is slated for completion within 36 months.

Nigeria is preparing to launch one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects yet — a 4,000-kilometre high-speed rail network, popularly called a bullet train, to be developed alongside major gas infrastructure investments.

The project will be delivered by De-Sadel Nigeria Limited in partnership with China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings Limited and is slated for completion within 36 months.

At a briefing in Abuja, De-Sadel’s Chief Executive Officer, Samuel Uko, presented a $60 billion proof of funds to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. He explained that the railway will link Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt, with construction structured in phases so that completed sections can begin operation ahead of the full rollout.

“The 1,600 kilometres that cover the country’s four major cities will take us 36 months to build. But we won’t wait until the 36th month. As we progress through the states, residents of completed sections will begin to enjoy the speed train,” Uko said.

He revealed that funding for the project will come from the Asian Development Investment Bank, with the first phase valued at $55 billion. According to him, the rail plan — nearly a decade in the making — secured almost 90% of its required approvals under the present administration.

Linking the initiative to Nigeria’s energy drive, Uko stressed the critical role of gas in powering modern transport systems:

“You cannot develop high-speed rail without developing the gas aspect of the economy. The raw material for high-speed rail is power, and the raw material for power is gas. We must expand our gas sector to power this transformative project.”

Responding, SGF George Akume described the submission as promising but stressed due diligence on the financing:

“This administration is business-friendly, but we must ensure that partnerships are reliable, credible, and beneficial to all parties. The $60 billion proof of funds submitted will be critically reviewed to guarantee the viability and timelines of the bullet train project,” Akume said.

If fully approved, the high-speed rail is expected to transform transportation, accelerate industrial growth, and strengthen Nigeria’s gas economy — positioning the country as a key hub for modern rail transport in Africa.