France on Thursday announced a 110 million euros investment (N51.98 Billion) to support the development of the Kaduna State Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
The BRT is expected to improve urban mobility and the living conditions of residents of Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria. The fund is provided through the French Development Agency (AFD).
“In line with France’s commitment towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, the Federal Ministry of Finance signed an agreement with AFD providing for a EUR 110 Million facility to Kaduna State in order to develop a state-of-the-art Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system,” the Embassy of France in Nigeria said.
The BRT system boost mobility system of Kaduna city safe, making it more affordable and more reliable, while improving its accessibility to residents across the capital.
While 160,000 passengers are expected to commute daily on the system, an estimated 100,000 residents of Kaduna State will have direct access to the BRT corridor.
The project will also have positive impacts on climate change resulting in the savings of 45,000 tons of CO² equivalent per year, an improvement in air quality and reduced road congestion.
The fast sprawling Kaduna metropolis is an economic nerve-centre with estimated at 1.3 million population and is expected to double by 2030 to reach 3 million.
Under the combined pressure of demographic and economic development, the travel demand will keep rising in the coming years.
“Despite encouraging initiatives carried out by Kaduna State Government, mobility remains characterised by structural challenges, including an unregulated paratransit industry, lack of mass public transit system, gaps in terms of infrastructures and maintenance facilities,” France representatives stated.
Kaduna State Transport Regulatory Authority (KADSTRA) is saddled with the responsibility of implementing the Kaduna BRT Project, a Transport Component of the Urban Renewal Program of Kaduna State Government.
The projects intend to deliver a 24 km-BRT system with segregated lanes, pedestrian crossing facilities, bus depot, street lighting, Intelligentt Transport System (ITS) facilities, 30 bus stations and the purchase of 120 articulated 18-metre buses.
The project will help set up sustainable operations of the BRT system through various engineering studies, the strengthening of KADSTRA and the transition of informal operators into the newly created bus industry.
Through project implementation, KADSTRA will have the opportunity of sharing experiences with recognised and well-established transport regulatory agencies including Ile-de-France Mobilité in Paris and the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) in Lagos, whom AFD has been supporting since 2010.