In a strategic move to revitalize the Baro Inland Port and enhance the seamless movement of goods across Nigeria, the Federal Government has announced plans to connect the port to the Lagos-Kano Narrow Gauge rail network.
The initiative forms part of the administration of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s broader transport infrastructure agenda.
Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, Minister of Transportation, disclosed this during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalization of the Baro Inland Port in Abuja.
The Committee is tasked with engaging stakeholders and designing solutions to restore the port’s operational viability.
While the management and planning of Baro Inland Port now fall under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, with supervision by the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, Senator Alkali highlighted the critical role of the Ministry of Transportation in ensuring the successful rehabilitation of the 190-kilometre rail line from Minna to Baro.
“This rail line will be connected to the historic Lagos-Kano Narrow Gauge, which has also been rehabilitated for freight under this administration. Operations are currently paused due to the recent Mokwa flood, but with proper funding, full functionality can be restored,” the Minister explained, appealing to the National Assembly to appropriate funds to complete the project.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, stressed the importance of translating plans into action, highlighting three major barriers to Baro Port’s full operation: dredging the capital channel to ensure navigability, completing rail connectivity between Baro and Minna, and developing access roads for cargo movement.
Hon. Abdullahi also urged the exploration of innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and development finance institutions, noting that government budgets alone would be insufficient to restore the port to its historical role as a key economic artery in Nigeria’s logistics network.