The Federal Government says passengers should be able to travel by train from Abuja through Kaduna, Zaria and Kano to Daura and Katsina by January 2027, as work advances on major railway projects connecting northern Nigeria.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunsho Adebiyi, disclosed the timeline while speaking at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State.

“By January next year, you can join a train from Abuja to Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, Daura, and to Katsina,” Adebiyi said, according to an official report by NITT.

The announcement means the existing Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor is expected to connect with ongoing railway developments extending through Zaria and Kano, and further towards Daura and Katsina.

Adebiyi said the expansion of Nigeria’s rail network would also create employment opportunities and urged young Nigerians to acquire skills that could position them to benefit from increased investment in the transport sector.

The January target is consistent with earlier timelines released by the Federal Government for the projects.

In July, the Federal Ministry of Transportation said the Kaduna-Kano and Kano-Daura-Katsina sections were on course for commissioning in December 2026.

At the time, the government said the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano section was between 80 and 85 per cent complete, while the broader railway development had reached about 70 to 75 per cent completion.

A further government inspection in August placed the 284-kilometre Kano-Daura-Katsina section at more than 75 per cent completion and again maintained the December 2026 commissioning target.

Officials also disclosed that a test run had been carried out on completed tracks between Kazaure and Katsina, while procurement of the trains required for the route remained one of the major outstanding steps towards commencement of full operations.

Punch also reported the latest January 2027 timeline on Wednesday, citing Adebiyi as saying the rail network would connect Abuja with Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, Daura and Katsina.

The proposed connection would create a continuous passenger rail route linking the Federal Capital Territory with several major cities across Kaduna, Kano and Katsina states.

However, the government has not yet announced passenger fares, detailed timetables or a specific January commencement date for the expanded service.

For passengers searching for when the Abuja to Kano train will become available, the latest government position therefore points to January 2027 as the target, subject to completion, commissioning and operational readiness of the remaining railway sections.