Mr. Nyesom Wike, The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), announced that the Abuja Light Rail is ready for commercial operations. After inspecting the project in Abuja on Monday, Wike revealed that the rehabilitation cost $15 million, or over N10 billion.
Wike assured residents that the light rail, known as the Abuja Metro Line, would be inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu for commercial use on May 27. “Thank God Almighty that we are good to go (prepared). We are ready, and you can see the facilities have been installed,” he said.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress and emphasized that President Tinubu’s promise to deliver the metro line within one year of his tenure had been fulfilled. Wike attributed the successful completion and delivery of the project to the robust support from President Tinubu, aligning with the “Renewed Hope” agenda.
“We are doing well because Mr. President has given us every necessary support. Assuming we are not getting support from him, this would not have been a reality today,” Wike stated.
However, Wike highlighted some design omissions, such as the absence of elevators at some stations and the lack of air conditioning in the passenger waiting areas. He noted, “We are happy with the project. It is just that we identify one or two things (designs) that were omitted during the design.”
He clarified that these omissions would not hinder the metro line’s operation but would enhance passenger comfort. Wike also mentioned that access roads have been constructed to connect communities to the train stations, emphasizing the necessity of these roads for the metro line’s functionality.
The Abuja Light Rail project was originally conceived to address the challenges of transportation, including heavy traffic and congestion, in the FCT and surrounding areas.
