The Federal Ministry of Transportation has directed contractors handling railway projects across Nigeria to ensure quality construction, durable infrastructure, sustainable maintenance, and comprehensive training for young Nigerian engineers before handing over rail and terminal facilities to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Funso Adebiyi, gave the directive during a joint fact-finding inspection of the ongoing construction of Kano Railway Station. He was accompanied by ministry officials, agency representatives and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Transportation and Mobility, Prince Ademola Adetokunbo Ade-John.
Adebiyi rejected short-lived consumables, directing contractors to ensure bulbs and lighting fittings have a minimum lifespan of three years.
He also called for customised lamp holders and mobile motorised equipment to facilitate easy local replacement and maintenance of fittings.
“We directed contractors to provide mechanised cleaning equipment for the regular maintenance of glass structures at the terminal, taking into account thermal expansion and contraction,” he said.
The permanent secretary cautioned against excessive reliance on diesel generators and expensive energy solutions that could undermine the long-term sustainability of railway infrastructure.
To reduce dependence on foreign contractors, he directed the NRC Managing Director, Dr Isiak Opeifa, represented by the Director of Corporate Planning, Dr James Zang, to assemble a team of young, qualified engineers for an intensive, month-long practical training programme.
The training will cover facility operations, the replacement of consumables and standard maintenance procedures.
Adebiyi emphasised that the programme must be conducted locally and include rigorous, examination-based assessments. He warned that staff who failed the computer-based assessment would face consequences in line with applicable civil service regulations.
He said priority should be given to engineers aged 35 and below, with at least 20 years remaining in service, to ensure continuity, accountability and career progression in the railway sector.
The permanent secretary reaffirmed the Nigerian Government’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development, stressing that railway projects must deliver value for taxpayers’ money, effective technology transfer and a smooth handover to competent Nigerian professionals.
He added that building local technical capacity was essential to ensuring that Nigerian engineers could independently operate, maintain and safeguard the country’s railway infrastructure.
