The Abuja Light Rail system has transported more than 250,000 passengers in just over 100 days since commercial passenger operations began.
The railway system, which has two lines with a total length of 45 kilometers, was developed and is currently operated by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
John Zhao, an official of the CCECC in Nigeria, made the announcement via a Twitter post on Friday.
The publication noted that the rail network consists of 12 stations connecting key areas such as Abuja City Centre, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the main railway line and the satellite town of Kubwa.
“The CCECC Abuja Railway Mass Transit System Phase I has been running safely for over 100 days! It consists of 2 lines with a total length of 45km and 12 stations, the maximum operating speed of the trains can reach 100km/h. It connects Abuja City Centre, the International Airport, the railway line and the satellite town of Kubwa. During its operation, over 250,000 passengers have already been served.” Zhao affirmed.
The publication further noted that since the Abuja Light Rail commenced passenger operations, it has significantly reduced traffic congestion in the federal capital.
What you should know
The Abuja rail mass transit system, built by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) and inaugurated in 2018 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, faced delays in fully commencing operations due to lack of essential infrastructure, including access roads.
These challenges, coupled with disruptions caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, caused the project to be temporarily halted. To address these issues, several budget allocations were made.
In August 2023, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) awarded a N5 billion contract to CCECC for the rehabilitation of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit System.
In October 2023, the Federal Executive Council approved an additional N5.5 billion for the construction of feeder roads to serve communities along the rail route.
Rehabilitation efforts continued with N29 billion allocated in the 2024 Federal Capital Territory statutory budget to support the project.
CCECC had earlier revealed that the original construction of the $823 million project created more than 10,000 jobs for Nigerians during its development.
In May 2024, passenger operations were launched on Phase 1 of the railway line, and CCECC currently operates the line.
To encourage the use of public transport, President Bola Tinubu introduced a free travel service for two months, which was later extended until the end of 2024, significantly boosting public interest and use of the rail system.
