Aug 4, 2026

Tinubu Approves $865m Kaduna Light Rail as Uba Sani Flags Off ₦178bn Road

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Kaduna, Nigeria – August 4, 2026 — Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani on Tuesday credited President Bola Tinubu’s special respect and love for the people of the state for the approval of a major light rail project, even as he flagged off the reconstruction of a vital highway linking the state capital to Birnin Gwari.

Speaking at the groundbreaking of the 122-kilometer Mando–Kaduna–Birnin Gwari road project, valued at ₦178.12 billion, Governor Sani said the President approved $865 million on July 8 for the construction of a light rail system in the Kaduna metropolitan area.

Landmark Infrastructure Push

The light rail project is designed as a 50-kilometer urban network comprising two corridors: a 30-kilometer line from Rigachikun to Sabon Tasha and a 20-kilometer stretch from Millennium City to Rigasa.

Earlier estimates placed its value at around ₦1 trillion, positioning Kaduna as only the second state in Nigeria after Lagos to embark on such a modern mass-transit system.

The newly flagged-off road, which will be built with Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) technology expected to last up to a century, forms a key section of the wider Kaduna–Lagos highway corridor. Over ₦100 billion has already been released for the project.

Security and Economic Benefits

For years, the Birnin Gwari axis was notorious for insecurity and isolation. Officials say the reconstructed road will strengthen security operations, ease the movement of agricultural produce—particularly maize from one of Nigeria’s leading producing areas—and restore confidence to long-neglected communities.

Governor Sani described the dual investments as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming mobility, security, and economic opportunity in the Northwest.

Fulfilling Campaign Promises

The Birnin Gwari road reconstruction fulfills a direct pledge President Tinubu made during a campaign visit to the area ahead of the 2023 elections, when the community was still grappling with banditry and poor infrastructure.

As contractors mobilize and work advances on both the light rail and the highway, Kaduna is emerging as one of the clearest examples of large-scale federal infrastructure delivery in northern Nigeria under the current administration.

Residents and local leaders are watching closely to see how these projects translate into safer roads, easier commuting, and broader economic gains in the years ahead.