Kano, Lagos, 2 other states receive ₦400 billion funding for light rail projects
Four states have been allocated ₦400 billion in the 2025 national budget for light rail projects to improve the transportation system countrywide.
The ₦400 billion for the light rail was allocated to projects in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna and Kano states.
The National Assembly last Thursday passed the ₦54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill.
The ₦400 billion, this newspaper learnt, was not part of the ₦54.2 trillion revised proposal that President Bola Tinubu presented to the assembly two weeks ago, seeking approval from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
This newspaper gathered that the ₦400 billion for the light rail is an addition by the lawmakers.
On February 5, President Tinubu sought an addition of ₦4.53 trillion to the budget, raising the proposal from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.27 trillion.
READ ALSO: Chinese bank approves $254.76m loan for Kano-Kaduna railway
By the time the lawmakers approved the budget pushing the total to ₦54.99 trillion, ₦400 billion allocation to the new light rail projects in four states had been added.Financing and construction of light rail systems are typically the responsibility of state governments.
It is not clear if the government funds for the light rail are a support grant or loan to the four states.
In the final approved budget, lawmakers allocated ₦150 billion to Kano, ₦100 billion each to Ogun and Kaduna, and ₦50 billion to Lagos for the rail projects.
The amount is said to be different from the plan to transfer ₦146.14 billion to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) as counterpart funding for the Lagos Green Line Metro Rail Phase 1 contained in the initial budget.
This brings the provision for rail projects in Lagos state alone to ₦196.14 billion in the 2025 budget.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp:
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
