CCECC Completes Track Laying on Port Harcourt-Aba Railway Section

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the contractor responsible for laying tracks on the Eastern Narrow Railway project, has announced the completion of track laying on the Port Harcourt to Aba section of the corridor.

In a statement published on the official website of the construction company, CCECC disclosed the milestone, marking significant progress in the ongoing railway infrastructure development in Nigeria.

The completion of the tracks from Port Harcourt to Aba is a notable achievement for the Eastern Narrow-Gauge Railway project, a critical component of Nigeria’s railway network. This development is expected to enhance connectivity between local railways, ports, and cities, ultimately contributing to the country’s economic and social development.

The ongoing track laying on the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri Railway corridor is another important phase of the project, with the potential to further boost Nigeria’s economy upon its completion.

The reconstruction of the Eastern Narrow Railway project commenced in 2022, following an announcement by the then Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi.

In March 2021, the Federal Government reached an agreement with a syndicate of Chinese financiers to initiate a $3 billion rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern Railway project.

The Federal Government is expected to provide 15% of the rehabilitation and reconstruction cost, with the Chinese syndicate covering the rest.

In September 2023, Transport Minister Saidu Alkali expressed concern over the slow pace of CCECC’s work on the Eastern Railway corridor, attributing it to the contractor’s use of manual track laying processes.

Once completed, the Eastern Railway project will connect several states including Rivers, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, and Borno States through a modern rail network.

Source: Nairametrics