Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday promised that the planned rehabilitation and standardization of the country's railway system would be completed in four years.

"This is not another long-term project. This is a project that I know I will enjoy before I die," Obasanjo told a presidential forum for youths he convened to brief them on achievements of his administration.

He assured them that work on the first phase covering a distance of 1,010 km from the Apapa Port to Kano with a new line from Minna to Abuja and Kaduna, would begin this year.

According to Transport Ministry Spokesman Fidelis Osamor, the government is putting "finishing touches to the modernization of the rail system for better service delivery to Nigerians."

He said Nigeria planned to invest 2 billion U.S. dollars in rehabilitating the railway sector with China providing a 1 billion U.S. dollars loan.

"The project will be implemented on a fast track approach using the design, construct and maintenance contract system," he added.

The spokesman also said technical matters relating to the project, which included route alignment, survey, decision on track type either single with right of way for second track or immediate double-track are being worked out.

According to him, touching-up will include some straightening of deep curves and reduction of deep gradients where necessary.

The new track will run 36 speed trains daily, at 150 km per hour and haul 10.5 million tons of goods yearly.

The first phase will be from Lagos Ports to Kano (1,010 km) and will be broken into Ibadan-Ilorin (200 km); Ilorin-Minna (270 km); Minna-Kaduna and Kano (360 km) and Minna-Abuja and Kaduna (305 km).

The modernization of the Nigerian rail system is part of the existing 25-year Rail Plan, which was earlier scheduled to have commenced in 2002.

Source: Xinhua