Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Mombasa Terminus, May 29, 2017. [Photo: Pauline Njoroge/Facebook]
A Nigerian has attacked her government, after the highly advertised launch of Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), hit the headlines, globally.
Adeola Fayehun, wondered why her country used 'too much' money to construct the Standard Gauge line between Kaduna and Abuja.
Nigeria's new railway was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 26, 2016, after it was built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation under a US$876m contract signed by the federal government on October 26, 2009.
The Railway Gazette said Chinese loan covered US$500m of the cost, with the federal government funding the remainder.
"Construction began in 2009 and was planned for completion in 2014, but was delayed by issues with the government’s share of the funding."
This spells out its difference with Kenya's first SGR phase, of between Mombasa and the capital city Nairobi, which costed an estimated Sh327bn ($3.8bn)
The Nigeria national shared photos of Kenya's SGR, ahead of its inauguration Wednesday, May 31, by president Uhuru Kenyatta, in Mombasa.
"Kenya unveils $3.2 billion railway! How come ours in Nigeria is not this nice despite spending more?" wondered the producer, and host of 'Keeping It Real With Adeola', Monday, on Twitter.
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Kenya unveils $3.2 billion railway! How come ours in Nigeria is not this nice despite spending more?
Phase 1 of the SGR has a route length of 472km and a total length of 609km. It runs through Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita-Taveta, Makueni, Kajiado, Machakos and Nairobi.