Page 53 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 15

Innovate Afrika
Energy in Afrika

Positive Developments for Nigeria:

Railway Infrastructure and Value Addition in Agriculture

By PD Lawton, UK.
Original Link To The Publication:
http://africanagenda.net/positive-developments-for-nigeria-infrastruc-
ture-and-value-addition-in-agriculture/

nder the visionary sea ports in Accra in Ghana, Coto-
leadership of President In saying that, he expressed the nou in Benin and Lome in Togo. In
Muhammadu Buhari, spirit of the New Silk Road, the Belt September 2020, the Nigerian gov-
UNigeria has become a and Road Initiative, and the ethos of ernment announced the funding of
key African partner in the Belt and a shared future for mankind. $1.9 billion to construct the 250km
Road Initiative. The benefits of Ni- line from Kano to Maradin, a village
geria`s participation in the BRI are It is for that reason that President in Niger. In Maradin, warehouses
outlined in this article: Buhari has championed extension will be built for cargo.
https://www.vanguardngr. of the railway into Niger.The Nige-
com/2020/01/how-chi- rian Railway Modernization Proj- As of the 12 January 2021 the
nas-belt-and-road-initiative-affects-nige- ect will revolutionize national and contract for the $1.9 bn line from
ria-africa/ regional trade. Kano -Maradi has been signed with
Portuguese construction firm Mota-
President Buhari has said that Nige- The railway network will be extend- Engil.
ria cannot be seen as an island, that ed to Maradi in Niger which is one
the country will never have peace of the landlocked neighbours along For centuries the trans-Saharan
and prosperity while its neighbours with Burkina Faso and Chad who trade route went from Maradi to
live in poverty. currently only have road access to Kano and was prosperous until

WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 15 | SEPTEMBER 2021 53