AfDB to support urban transportation system in Abuja — Adesina

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President, African Development Bank (AfDB) says the bank will support urban transportation system in Abuja.

He said this in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the bank was also working with the Nigerian government to ensure that the Abuja Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system was effective.

The AfDB boss said the bank was also supporting the Abuja Monorail System and other rail networks.

“If you take a look at urbanisation, it goes without saying that the population is increasing.

“The need for infrastructure continues to expand, for water and electricity, but also for urban transport and mass transport is the biggest way that we have to do this.

“So, I think as a bank, we are looking with the government into what they want to do in the wider Abuja metropolitan area, especially in terms of urban transport.

“I really believe that it is important to continue to invest in rail transport.’’

Adesina said when the bank invested in Nigeria; it invested in a lot of areas depending on the decision of the government.

He said the bank did not make decisions for the government, because the government prioritises its needs.

He said the current portfolio investment of the bank in Nigeria was about six billion dollars, adding that this was in the areas of infrastructure in the power sector, water, sanitation and private sector investments.

AfDB is a multilateral development finance institution aimed at fighting poverty and improving the living conditions on the African continent.

AFDB does this by promoting the investment of public and private capital in projects and programmes that are likely to contribute to the economic and social development of the region. Credit: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)