The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says the Chinese government has agreed to approve $5.3billion for the Federal Government to commence and complete the construction of the Ibadan-Kano railway.

The Minister stated this on Friday during a special broadcast which aired on Channels Television to mark the nation’s Democracy Day.

According to him, China has been very helpful to Nigeria, with the disbursement of cash to fund infrastructure, especially railway.

Amaechi revealed that the country released $1.6billion for the Lagos-Ibadan railway and is expected to approve $5.3billion by October.

“The Chinese government and the Chinese people have been very helpful to Nigeria. They have released $1.6billion for the Lagos-Ibadan”.

The Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is an under-construction standard gauge railway across Nigeria, from the Atlantic Ocean port of Lagos to Kano, near the Niger border.

The railway will run parallel to the British-built Cape gauge line, which has a lower design capacity and is in a deteriorated condition.

The railway is being built in segments. Only the segment between Abuja and Kaduna has been completed so far, and services began officially in July 2016.