FG Plans Rail Link to Revive Baro Inland Port— To Connect Port to Lagos–Kano Narrow Gauge

FG Plans Rail Link to Revive Baro Inland Port— To Connect Port to Lagos–Kano Narrow Gauge

Abuja, August 14, 2025 — The Federal Government has unveiled plans to connect the Baro Inland Port in Niger State to the Lagos–Kano narrow gauge rail line as part of efforts to revitalise the long-dormant facility and boost Nigeria’s inland waterway logistics.

Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, disclosed this during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of the Baro Inland Port in Abuja.

Alkali explained that, following the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the responsibility for the port’s development and management now lies with that ministry and its sub-agency, the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

However, he noted that his ministry remains a key player in the port’s revival through the rehabilitation of the 190-kilometre narrow gauge railway from Minna to Baro, which will connect to the old Lagos–Kano line.

“This rail line will ensure the seamless movement of goods to and from the port,” Alkali said, adding that the Lagos–Kano route—rehabilitated by the Tinubu administration—had already been put to use before recent flooding in Mokwa disrupted operations. He urged the National Assembly to prioritise funding for the project to ensure its completion.

Earlier, Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, stressed the need for urgent, tangible action to restore the Baro Port to its historic role as a strategic hub in Nigeria’s logistics network.

He identified three critical challenges stalling the port’s operation:

1. Dredging of the capital channel to make the river navigable for vessels.
2. Rail connectivity between Baro and Minna, linking the port to the national rail grid.
3. Access road construction to facilitate land cargo movement.

Abdullahi called for innovative financing models, including public-private partnerships and support from development finance institutions, warning that relying solely on government budgets would delay progress. He also revealed plans for the committee to undertake a physical assessment of the port.

The Baro Inland Port, commissioned in 2019 but largely idle, is seen as a potential catalyst for economic activity in Nigeria’s inland waterways sector if fully operational.