By: Ecofin agency

Nigeria is moving forward with a $60 billion high-speed rail network that will link Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt, following the securing of initial financing commitments and regulatory clearance, according to project sponsors and officials. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission approved the Outline Business Case, while De-Sadel Nigeria Ltd. said it has submitted proof of funds for a first phase valued at $55 billion, backed by the Asian Development Investment Bank.

The plan would cut the Lagos–Abuja journey from more than 12 hours to under three. Delivery is slated in phases over 36 months, with sections opening as they’re completed. Officials say nearly 90% of approvals are in place, framing the next 12 months as the window for environmental authorizations, community consultations and early works.

Although pitched primarily as a passenger line, the corridor is designed to carry time-sensitive freight, easing pressure on congested highways and shifting some domestic air cargo to rail. Logistics operators see scope to plug the line into cold-chain distribution and just-in-time manufacturing, particularly along the Lagos–Abuja and Lagos–Port Harcourt axes. Port terminals are expected to add dedicated rail spurs and near-dock warehousing to enable direct ship-to-train transfers, while inland dry ports along the route could capture new flows and relieve seaport congestion.

Execution risks remain material. Security concerns on some stretches, slow land acquisition, and right-of-way disputes could push timelines. Sustained 300 km/h operations will require a reliable, ring-fenced power supply; planners are evaluating dedicated generation, likely leveraging Nigeria’s underdeveloped gas resources, to insulate the system from grid instability. Governance discipline around procurement, signaling and rolling-stock standards will be central to keeping costs in line and ensuring interoperability across phases.

If delivered on schedule, the roughly 1,600-kilometer network would place Nigeria alongside Morocco and Egypt in Africa’s high-speed rail club, building on Lagos’s recent launch of the Blue and Red commuter lines. Backers say the project will boost trade, lower logistics costs and create thousands of jobs by tightening links between the commercial capital, the political hub, northern markets and major ports.

Near-term milestones include completion of the environmental impact assessment, community engagement along priority segments, and contracting for civil works, power, signaling, and rolling stock. Intermodal design choices—particularly how ports and industrial zones interface with the mainline—will determine how much of the promised freight and productivity gains are realized.