(a) On an outline map of Nigeria, locate and name: (i) the rail lines linking Lagos to Nguru (ii) the railway line linking Port-Harcourt to Kaduna (b) Expla...

Answer Details

(a) Outline map of Nigeria showing the railway lines

• (i) The Western line linking Lagos to Nguru: draw the line from Lagos running north through Ibadan - Oyo - Ogbomosho - Ilorin - Minna - Kaduna - Zaria - Kano and on to Nguru in the far north.
• (ii) The Eastern line linking Port Harcourt to Kaduna: draw the line from Port Harcourt running north through Aba - Enugu - Makurdi - Kafanchan to Kaduna (where it joins the western line). Label the towns and the two coastal terminals (Lagos and Port Harcourt).

(b) Four ways rail contributed to the economic development of Nigeria

• Movement of bulky goods cheaply: the railway carries heavy, bulky produce (groundnuts, cotton, tin, coal, cocoa) over long distances at low cost from the interior to the ports for export.
• Opening up of the interior: it linked remote inland areas to the coast, encouraging trade, farming and the growth of towns along the line (Kaduna, Kafanchan).
• Promotion of mining and industry: it enabled the transport of coal from Enugu, tin from Jos and raw materials to factories, boosting mining and manufacturing.
• Employment and passenger movement: it provides jobs and cheap mass movement of people to work, markets and other regions, aiding labour mobility and national integration.

(c) Three problems of rail transportation in Nigeria

• Old and poorly maintained equipment: ageing tracks, coaches and locomotives with a narrow-gauge system cause frequent breakdowns and delays.
• Limited network: the few lines do not reach many parts of the country, and there is little inter-connection, so rail cannot serve all areas.
• Slow speed and inflexibility: trains are slow and can only move between fixed stations, requiring other transport to reach final destinations.
• Inadequate funding and competition from road transport further weaken the railways.