Nigerian Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi renewed his appeal to the National Assembly to stop questioning the $5.3 billion Chinese loan to build the Ibadan-Kano standard gauge railway. This is the second time the minister has called on legislators to temporarily stop their investigation into the Chinese loan. 

Minister Amaechi said he is concerned that if representatives push the Chinese too hard they might decide to stop supporting the project, leaving the railway only partially complete. “For this one (Lagos-Ibadan rail project), we have $1.6bn for which we are contributing about $200 and $300 million. But don’t forget, they have not finished paying, they can stop at any time,” he said.