New China-assisted light rail services commences in Abuja, Nigeria

Nigeria on Thursday formally commissioned the China-assisted Abuja light rail transportation system, the first of its kind in West Africa.

Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari declared the full operation of the capital city's light rail system, handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and partly funded by the Export-Import Bank of China.

Buhari, while delivering a keynote address at the light rail's commissioning ceremony, hailed the project as a significant milestone in the history of Nigeria.

"I am very optimistic that a modern rail service would bring about a boost to the FCT (Federal Capital Territory) economy and greatly enhance social life," said Buhari, who, thereafter, took a ride on the train.

Local passengers will enjoy a free ride on the train for one month, starting from Friday, said Kong Tao, an operations manager of the CCECC.

Kong said the three available coaches can convey more than 300 passengers on a trip, while at least 1,000 people are expected to daily ride on the train.

With a total length of 45 kilometers, the newly completed Lot A1 and Lot 3 of the light rail are part of the Abuja rail mass transit project.

The light rail was designed to have an interface with the national line at two points, where there would be interchanges to join the rail line linking the northern part of Nigeria.

It covers 12 stations, 21 operational offices, 13 bridges, 50 culverts and nine pedestrian overpasses.

The commissioning was preceded by a three-month test run, during which residents of Abuja beheld the new addition to the country's transportation infrastructure.

Buhari, together with key cabinet members and officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, flagged off the light rail transportation from the Abuja Metro Station, located behind the Abuja World Trade Center still under construction in the city center.

The president and co-passengers, including Zhou Pingjian, the Chinese ambassador in Nigeria, rode on the train to the Abuja Airport Terminal at the capital city's Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.

Forty-year-old Chima Paul, who drove Buhari and others, told Xinhua it was a rare privilege for him to convey the country's very important personalities on his train.

"Apart from that, I am happier because this light rail system is a historic feat happening in my lifetime," said Paul.

"I've been driving the train for about three years now after learning from the Chinese. With this now, I can support my family and build a new career for myself," said the father of three.

Paul said the Abuja light rail is expected to reduce vehicular traffic and accidents, ensures the durability of the roads and makes transportation of goods, services and people a lot easier.

Nigerians had long anticipated the use of this facility, said Daniel Obot, a local civil servant.

According to him, the local transportation experience in the city of Abuja, the political capital of Nigeria, may never be the same as the train service cuts down travel time and cost.

Abuja, with a population of 4 million, is a relatively new city in Nigeria, but one of the fastest developing cities in Africa.

The construction of the light rail and its use is expected to open up new towns and boost economic activities along the corridor of Gwagwa, Kalgoni, DeiDei, Kubwa, Kokoaba, Dasonga, Asa, among 12 satellite towns in the Nigerian capital city.

For now, only three sets of standard coaches have been provided to cover skeletal services as the main set of the rolling stock is being awaited to make operations cover more passengers.

Sunny Moniedafe, a Nigerian education administrator, described his first ride on the train as "comfortable."

"I am seated as if I'm in my parlor and it is moving. Truly, this is commendable. I can see that the journey between the airport and the main city has reduced drastically and it is very comfortable," Moniedafe said.

"It is a very good thing. I commend the Chinese government for the relationship with the Nigerian government to make things better for us," he added.

Xinhua

Second man jailed for involvement in Chibok girls kidnapping

A Nigerian court has jailed a second man involved in the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok town in northeast Nigeria, officials told CNN Friday.

 
Banzana Yusuf was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the court sitting at the Kainji military base in Niger, a central Nigerian state this week, Salihu Isah, a spokesman for the justice ministry said.
No further details were given about his involvement in the abduction.

This is the second conviction in connection to the Chibok kidnappings this year.
In February, the court imposed a second 15-year sentence on Haruna Yahaya, who was involved in the kidnapping.

Boko Haram militants seized 276 schoolgirls between the ages 16 to 18, from their boarding school in the town of Chibok, Borno State April 2014, sparking global outrage.

Eighty-two of the schoolgirls were released in a swap between the Nigerian government and the militant group last year.

But more than 100 of them remain in captivity, with their whereabouts unknown.
The militant group has kidnapped more than 1,000 children in Nigeria since 2013, according to a recent report, most recently kidnapping 110 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi in Yobe state on February 19.

More than 200 people have been convicted for their involvement with the insurgent group this year.

CNN

Video - South African president Ramaphosa visits Nigeria

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa is in Nigeria for a official two-day visit. He is expected to attend the annual Afri-exim bank meeting, and hold bilateral talks with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Video - Nigerian opposition parties form alliance to challenge Buhari in 2019

It looks like President Muhammadu Buhari has a fight on his hands for next year's elections. 38 opposition parties have united to field a presidential candidate to run against Buhari in the February polls. Among the parties is the main opposition P-D-P and a breakaway faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress. CGTN's Deji Badmus takes a look at how much of a threat this new coalition poses to Buhari.

Google to partner with Nigeria on global digital access

The Federal Government on Tuesday gave the assurance that it would partner premier internet provider, Google, in the Google’s Next Billion users plan intended to ensure greater digital access in Nigeria and around the world.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo gave the assurance during a meeting with Google executives at the company’s corporate headquarters in the Silicon Valley at the start of the investment roadshow he is leading to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The proposal is in line with the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), especially its strategy to diversify the economy by making technology an important foreign exchange earner.

A release issued by Mr Laolu Akande, the Vice President’s Spokesman said that Google CEO Sundar Pichai welcomed the Vice President to the meeting held at Googleplex in California, U.S.

The Vice President also said the Federal Government would partner Google in the area of localisation of content and content creation to make content cheaper and more accessible to Nigerians.

Osinbajo also discussed other areas for partnership with Google, including the establishment of Google Artificial Intelligence Centres in Institutions of Higher Learning in Nigeria.

Another is the establishment of a Youtube Creator space to support Nigeria’s digital content producers and enable them to make money with their craft leveraging on Youtube and Google Tools.

Other areas discussed include the expansion of Google’s Launchpad Accelerator Programme in Africa.

According to Akande, Google also indicated interest in the policy environment in Nigeria and formulation of policy to encourage partnerships and investments from Google global with companies in Nigeria’s technology space.

For Nigeria, the Google Next Billion Users plan is expected to provoke innovation on a large scale.

Nigeria has been identified as one of the major countries where the latest generation of Internet users will come from, and the next billion users are said to be already changing the Internet in three key ways.

The areas include: the prominent use of smartphones to access the Internet, an instinct for universal computing, and a demand for localized content.

The future of the internet is in the hands of the next billion users, as the global technology company has noted.

It is reckoned that the latest generation of internet users will come online on smartphones in places such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Nigeria.

The country’s interest is in line with its ERGP plans and quest to become a data-driven digital economy in addition to making gains in terms of the efficiency and transparency of process that a digital economy offers.

“Also in Federal Government’s effort of ensuring a skilled work force, it is partnering Google to increase the number of Nigerians in the global technology firm’s Launchpad Accelerator, and Google I/O Developer Festivals.

“Also Google will offer training to Nigerians on Android and Web Development, Digital Marketing and Taking Business Online,’’ he said.

Akande recalled that an objective of the Vice President’s trip was to showcase to the world the progress and strides in the country’s technology, innovation and creative space by Nigerian start-ups and entertainment industry practitioners.

At the meeting held on Tuesday in Silicon Valley, the Vice President also interacted with scores of Nigerians working with Google.

He later met with a series of key technology investors and also visited the headquarters of LinkedIn where he was the Special Guest at the firm’s Fireside Chat with Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Pulse