Kaduna Builds West Africa’s Largest Transport Hubs to Create 20,000 Jobs, Ease Traffic

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Kaduna State is betting on airport-style bus terminals to fix its transportation chaos, generate jobs, and reposition the state as a regional transit hub.

The state government says three ultra-modern terminals currently under construction will replace illegal motor parks, enhance security, and handle thousands of vehicles daily once completed later this year.

Acting General Manager of Kaduna Line and Acting Director General of the Kaduna State Transport Regulatory Authority, KADSTRA, *Engr. Inuwa Ibrahimb shared this during an inspection and media tour of ongoing transport projects in the state.

The flagship project, the Eastern Terminal in Millennium City, is being built on a 20-hectare site by CGC Nigeria Ltd. Ibrahim described it as the largest ultra-modern transport terminal in size and infrastructure in the West African sub-Saharan region.

“The terminal is being built with airport-standard specifications to provide comfort, efficiency, and safety for passengers,” Ibrahim said.

According to him, the facility will include ticketing halls, passenger waiting lounges, multiple terminals, a hotel, restaurants, CNG filling stations, and other modern transport amenities.

Construction began about four months ago. Mr. Ji Zhongyin, Project Manager of CGC Nigeria Ltd., said all major structural works have been completed, and the team is now working on block work, drainage, roads, and external infrastructure.

“The official completion date is the end of November, but we are confident of delivering earlier without compromising quality,” Zhongyin said.

Ibrahim noted the terminal should be ready for inauguration by *Gov. Uba Sani* within the next three months.

Beyond comfort, the project aims to address traffic and security issues. The Eastern Terminal aligns with the Federal Government’s Eastern Bypass and is expected to divert heavy traffic from the city center.

Officials estimate the terminal will handle about 5,000 vehicles daily and generate approximately 15,000 direct and indirect jobs.

It is one of three major terminal projects driving the state’s transportation overhaul.

At Kakuri Southern Terminal, inaugurated in December 2025, Ibrahim reported that work has reached about 90 percent completion. The complex will bring all transport unions and operators under one roof and includes terminals, shops, hotels, a fire safety center, filling station, and vehicle maintenance center.

The Soba Motor Park project is also about 85 percent complete. It is designed to relocate the existing Kawo Motor Park and decongest Kaduna metropolis.

Ibrahim mentioned that security reports linked criminal activities around the old Kawo Motor Park to several incidents, including the killing of a military officer. The relocation, he added, was endorsed by transport unions and other stakeholders.

The effort to centralize transport followed the government’s crackdown on illegal parks. Ibrahim stated that 51 unauthorized parks were identified along a 24-kilometer corridor between Kawo and Command Junction.

“The proliferation of illegal parks posed serious security threats and disrupted effective transport regulation,” he said.
The government first reopened Mando Motor Park before moving forward with the new centralized terminals.

Collectively, Ibrahim said, the three terminals will create more than 20,000 jobs for Kaduna residents.

The reforms go beyond infrastructure. The administration is also developing the *Kaduna Bus Rapid Transit, KBRT* system and a *Kaduna Light Rail* project.

Plans are also underway to explore water transportation on the River Kaduna as part of a comprehensive multimodal transport system.

“The goal is to position Kaduna as a modern transport hub operating in line with international standards,” Ibrahim stated.

He praised CGC Nigeria Ltd. for maintaining high construction standards despite challenges brought by the rainy season.

For commuters, traders, and transport operators who have long dealt with congested, unregulated parks, the new terminals represent a shift from roadside loading to structured, secure facilities.

With finishing works, decoration, and installation of lifts, escalators, and safety equipment still ongoing at the Eastern Terminal, officials say the countdown to completion has begun.

If finished as scheduled, Kaduna’s airport-style terminals could serve as a model for how states utilize infrastructure to address unemployment, insecurity, and urban congestion simultaneously.