The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a British conglomerate, General Electric Company (Transportation), to assemble 200 locomotives in Nigeria.
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Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, who disclosed this at a media briefing to showcase the mid term achievements of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, under his ministry in Abuja yesterday, said the locomotives were to be assembled over a period of ten years under a special country- to-country relationship.
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Describing the MoU as investment incentive, the minister explained that the agreement also covered upgrading and development of a multi- modal locomotives' assembly facility in Nigeria.
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Senator Umar said further that the government had already procured 25 new locomotives from General Electric, with 366 coaches and wagons refurbished to service the existing rail, adding that the country was expecting the arrival of four new locomotives next month.