The Nigerian Federal Government announced this morning that the Chinese government is planning to build a 4,000 km “high-speed rail” network connecting the four major cities in the country. The ambitious project—10 years in the planning—was announced only after financing had been secured.
The “first phase” of the project seeks to connect three major centers of commerce—Lagos, in the southwest, Port Harcourt in the southeast, and Kano in the central north—with the capital city of Abuja, in the center of the country. (Geometers will excitedly note that this is the most efficient way to connect three points on a triangle—through the center.) Recognizing that this announced distance, extensive as it is, is yet “only” 1700 km (according to Google Maps), and that the entire project has been announced to be 4,000 km, it is clear that the ultimate intent of the Chinese is to completely encircle the nation of Nigeria with a modern, high-speed rail network. The first phase of this project is expected to be completed “in 36 months,” by 2028.
Funding for the project is being provided entirely by China Liancai Petroleum Investment Holdings, implying that China is building this rail network completely at its own expense, and effectively “donating” it to the Republic of Nigeria. One (understandable) concern of the Chinese was securing the power supply for the electrified train lines. In today’s announcement, the Nigerian side sought to allay those fears, stating the Federal Government’s “readiness to provide adequate [natural] gas supply to power the project, highlighting Nigeria’s proven reserves.”
