Said Alkali, Minister of Transportation, has presented the proposed 2025 fiscal budget of N225,744,028,687 billion before the Joint Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Land Transport.

The budget, presented on Thursday, at the National Assembly in Abuja, outlines key infrastructure projects aimed at advancing Nigeria’s Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan. The budget reveals that N194.77 billion has been earmarked for the construction and provision of railways, N195 million for the rehabilitation and repair of roads, and N1.67 billion for other capital projects.

The Minister in a statement signed by the ministry’s communication department noted that the 2025 proposal builds on the achievements of the 2024 Appropriations Act and aligns with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, prioritizing rail modernization and other land transport projects.

“In order to sustain the progressive output under the 2024 Appropriation Act, there is a need for increased funding to improve existing infrastructure across all the agencies under the Ministry,” Alkali stated.

He further appealed to the National Assembly for continued support to secure effective funding for ongoing projects and the initiation of new ones. According to him, efficient transportation systems are critical enablers of economic growth and serve as a gateway to the nation’s economy.

Highlighting the 2024 budget performance, Alkali mentioned the rehabilitation of the narrow-gauge railway from Lagos to Kano, which has been instrumental in transporting freight from Lagos Port to the Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano, thereby revitalizing economic activities. Additionally,

The Minister also disclosed to the Joint Committees that a 62Km rail corridor from Port Harcourt in Rivers State, to Aba in Abia State, was recently commissioned. The objective he assured is to link the Eastern Ports to the hinterland.

To address transportation challenges exacerbated by the removal of petrol subsidies, he said the Ministry, in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), distributed 15 CNG buses to transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

He also announced the establishment of CNG conversion and training centers in Abuja, Zaria, Enugu, Borno, and Kogi States by the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, with plans to expand to all 36 states of the federation.

Mohammed Adamu Aliero, Chairman of the Joint Senate and House Committees on Land Transport, In his opening remarks, emphasized the critical role of efficient transportation infrastructure in national progress.

He underscored the urgent need to develop the rail system as a sustainable alternative to the overburdened road network.