Uyo-Calabar Rail Project Gets FG Backing as Cross River Targets South-South Trade Hub
Uyo-Calabar Rail Project Gets FG Backing as Cross River Targets South-South Trade Hub
Cross River State’s ambition to emerge as a major transportation and com
mercial gateway in Nigeria’s South-South has received a significant boost following Federal Government backing for the proposed Uyo-Calabar railway corridor and expansion of marine transportation.
The development could strengthen the economic connection between Cross River and neighbouring Akwa Ibom State while opening a strategic transportation route for passengers, cargo and businesses seeking access to the proposed Cross River Deep Sea Port.
The Federal Government’s support came through the 19th National Council on Transportation held from August 31 to September 3, 2026, at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
During the meeting, Cross River presented two major transportation proposals aimed at strengthening rail and water connectivity as part of Governor Bassey Otu’s broader push for an integrated transportation system.
One of the proposals seeks the development of a railway corridor connecting Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, with Calabar and terminating at the Cross River Deep Sea Port.
The proposal received the endorsement of the council, marking an important step towards moving the project from conception to technical planning.
Giving further momentum to the initiative, the Nigerian Railway Corporation indicated its readiness to develop a master plan and technical drawings for the proposed corridor.
If eventually constructed, the railway could provide a direct transportation link between two major South-South capitals while improving the movement of goods to and from the planned seaport.
The project is also expected to reduce logistics costs, strengthen regional commerce and potentially enhance Cross River’s position as a gateway connecting Nigeria with markets around the Gulf of Guinea.
Cross River Commissioner for Transportation, Kingsley Egumi, who led the state’s delegation to the council, said the proposed railway would improve passenger and cargo movement while creating direct access to the port infrastructure.
Beyond rail transportation, Cross River also secured support for its proposal to expand marine transportation as an alternative and complementary means of moving people and goods.
The council resolved that the marine transportation proposal should be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy for collaboration with the Cross River State Ministry of Transportation.
The initiative is expected to provide safer and more affordable water transportation while reducing pressure on the state’s road network.
The latest development fits into the Otu administration’s wider ambition to build an economy around transportation, maritime trade, industrialisation and private investment.
Cross River has already been positioning its proposed deep seaport as a critical component of its long-term economic strategy, with expectations that improved road, rail and marine connectivity could significantly increase the commercial viability of the project.
Connecting the port directly to a railway corridor could prove particularly important, as efficient evacuation of cargo remains one of the major requirements for successful port operations.
The Uyo-Calabar connection could also deepen economic integration between Akwa Ibom and Cross River, allowing businesses, manufacturers and agricultural producers across the region to access maritime infrastructure more efficiently.
For Cross River, however, Federal Government endorsement represents an important early-stage milestone rather than completion of the railway itself. Technical planning, financing, approvals and eventual construction will determine how quickly the vision translates into physical infrastructure.
With the Nigerian Railway Corporation expected to develop the master plan and technical drawings, attention will now shift towards implementation and the ability of both federal and state authorities to turn the proposed corridor into a functioning transportation network.
If successfully delivered alongside the deep seaport and expanded marine transportation system, the Uyo-Calabar rail corridor could significantly alter the economic geography of the South-South and strengthen Cross River’s ambition to become one of Nigeria’s leading logistics and maritime gateways.
