By Muhammad Muntazar
The Vice-chancellor of Federal University of Transportation Daura has emphasized the role of Railway as a necessity for driving regional integration, reducing logistics costs and boosting industrialization.
The Vice-chancellor who presented a paper titled “Research and Capacity Development As a Veritable Tool for a Sustainable Railway Industry” yesterday at the 2nd Railway Conference and Exco, 2025, said Africa’s transportation industry is now standing at a turning point.
“It is my belief that, by developing the human capital, attracting sustainable investments, and harnessing innovation, Africa can shape it’s own rail destiny,” he asserted.
He stressed that railways are central to Africa’s future, as they connect the continent’s economies, facilitates trades and reduces the cost of moving goods across borders.
Highlighting challenges of the sector, the Vice-chancellor pointed out that financing railway project requires enormous capital, and Africa often depends heavily on external funding. He further highlighted infrastructural gal and shortage of indigenous expertise as major setbacks.
The Vice-Chancellor however, explained that despite the challenges, Africa has many opportunities in the railway sector, stressing that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers a historic moment for regional rail corridors.
“Our continent’s greatest asset is its youth; millions of young people are readily to be trained and empowered. We are also witnessing growing political will from our governments and international partnerships, especially with China, Italy, Portugal, Russia, UK, USA, EU, and many others.
“No doubt if we channel these opportunities into skills development and technology transfer, Africa’s rail industry will thrive progressively,” he added.