The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says 20 new coaches for the Abuja-Kaduna and the Lagos-Ibadan rail lines will arrive the country from China in about six weeks.
Amaechi said this at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while responding to questions from reporters on his arrival from China.
He said, “We went for two items, basically to get more locomotives and coaches. They’re all ready. It will take six weeks to get to Nigeria and maybe one week to clear them.
“For the Lagos trains, it will be easy, it will take a day or two to get it to the track, but for the trains coming to Abuja, it will take one week or two to get it here.
“To my surprise, the coaches we released two or three weeks ago to go to Kaduna arrived just within two days. So, we hope that when these trains arrive Lagos seaport, we should be able to get them fast.
“We are expecting 20 coaches, 10 for Abuja-Kaduna and 10 for Lagos-Ibadan as a temporary measure, more will then arrive in the second batch as we complete Lagos-Ibadan.”
The Minister said while taking delivery of the trains in China, he did a test run of the locomotives and motored cars.
He said the trains were better improved and of higher technology than the one currently in use in the country, adding that more trains were still being built for Nigeria and the next batch would be delivered as soon as possible.