The Minister of Transportation, Said Ahmed Alkali, has assured the Federal Government’s resolute determination to collaborate with Portugal in the area of rail transport systems.
He gave this assurance while on a courtesy call to the Director/CEO of Comboios de Portugal, Helena Figueiredo, in her office in Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal.
According to the Minister, improving rail transport remains one of the key priorities of the Tinubu-led administration, hence the need for Nigeria to collaborate with developed nations through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) cannot be overemphasised.
Senator Alkali maintained that the Nigerian Government would be glad to receive a technical/inspection team from the European country to enable dialogue in the areas of locomotive and coach refurbishment, aimed at promoting both passenger train and freight services in Nigeria.
He added that while passenger trains are meant to render social services to the Nigerian populace, freight services, on the other hand, are designed to generate more revenue for the Federal Government’s coffers.
Speaking earlier, the Director/CEO of the Railway Corporation of Portugal, Helena Figueiredo, expressed appreciation for the Nigerian delegation’s visit to Lisbon, assuring them of Portugal’s unwavering commitment to partner with the West African country. She pointed out that Portugal has significant investments in Angola, Mozambique, and other countries across the globe.
She said the corporation, established in 1856, plays a significant role in the socio-economic growth of Portugal by strengthening interconnectivity between the country and France, as well as Spain.
In his contribution, the Managing Director of Mota-Engil, Mr Pedro, said it is timely for Nigeria to partner with Portugal for the training of its railway staff to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
He explained that 80 per cent of the gas used in Portugal comes from Nigeria, adding that the cordial relationship existing between the two countries needs to be sustained for mutual prosperity.
The delegation, comprising members of the National Assembly Committee on Land Transport, directors from the Federal Ministry of Transportation, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, also visited Comboios de Portugal in Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal.
The Sun
