Minister of Transportation Ahmed Alkali on Tuesday inaugurated freight train for the movement of containers from the Apapa Port, Lagos, to the container depot in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Three trains with 30 wagons each will move containers from Apapa on daily basis.
The move is expected to decongest the port as well as free some Lagos major bridges currently littered with container trucks, causing heavy traffic.
The freight train movement is being undertaken by Buen Logistics Limited, starting with three trains per day.
The minister expressed delight at the project as he inaugurated the freight train at the APM terminal.
He also spoke on the Nigeria Customs Service scanner house blocking the rail track at the Apapa Port.
“We are using one line now but we have two others that stop before the Customs (scanner) building.
“The ministry is going to liaise with the Customs to remove their building and free the remaining two lines up to the end of the seaport and even enable the train to turn.”
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, disclosed that 30 wagons would be moved by a train on each line per day.
“The facility can move four trains but we are starting with three per day.”
Executive Director, Buen Logistics Limited, Mazi Jetson Nwankwo, said the freight train initiative would address simultaneously the port congestion and trailers parking on major roads and bridges.
He also said the train would return the empty containers dropped at the container terminal to the seaport.
