Nigeria targeted as tank wagon export hub- CCECC

As moves at repositioning the country’s rail transportation system gathers traction, efforts are also in the pipeline to make Nigeria as a hub for the exportation of train wagons to other countries.

Jiang Yigao, managing director, CCECC Nigeria Limited, the Chinese contractors handling the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail project said this during the last ground breaking ceremony of Kajola Wagon assembly plant in Kajola, Ogun State by Vice president Yemi Osinbajo.

The CCECC managing director said that, the concept of the Wagon Assembly plant in Kajola, Ogun state is to grow local technology and ultimately make Nigeria not only self-sufficient in certain components of locomotive stock, but also an exporter.

He expressed optimism that, with the completion and operation of the Abuja to Kaduna railway, Abuja rail mass transit and work on other railway projects, the plant will play a pivotal role in ensuring that provision of wagons.

The plant has the capacity to produce 500 wagons per year and will undertake key production processes like welding, assembly, and painting, dying and testing. It has the capacity to produce open, container, flat, and tank and box wagons.

Nigeria according to him is surely marching towards greater development and CCECC will continue to partner with the country in ensuring the technological development of the economy.

‘’Strides with Nigeria is the creed of CCECC’’ CCECC is working with the relevant agencies to ensure the development of the railway system. This is not only in building and rehabilitating railway tracks and stations, but also in training indigenous personnel to operate and maintain them’’.

In his submission, ‘’Today, we are commissioning one of the projects that underline the commitment of CCECC towards the industrial and economic development of Nigeria. We are indeed very proud to be part of the making of history today’’.

He said that, during the past years, CCECC was impressed by the federal government of Nigeria and the ministry of transportation for their determination and efforts on modernizing the railway system as a very viable and alternative means of transportation, noting that, the CCECC will spare no effort to cooperate with the Nigeria government.

The socio-economic benefits of the plant cannot be over-emphasised. A number of youths will be employed and it will stimulate the creation of other ancillary jobs and bring development not only to Kajola community, but the South West in general.

CCECC has in place a professional railway operation team to assist the ministry of transportation in operating and maintaining the railway, training the local staff and establishing a modern railway operation and maintenance system.

‘’Today, the construction of the wagon assembly plant will open a new chapter of railway construction in Nigeria, which will help a new chapter of railway industrialization chain’’. The managing director noted.