By Heritage Odih
Recently, the Director of Operations at Geofocus, Mutiu Idris, gave Nigerians a reason to be hopeful again of better days ahead. Idris, an engineer reawakened us to what we have probably not been paying sufficient attention to and its potentials to rewrite the nation’s socio-economic trajectory for good. It is the Federal Government twin – project, the Lagos-Abuja Super Highway and High-Speed Train initiative.
Idris expressed the strong confidence in the initiatives and their capacity to transform Nigeria’s economy. He agreed that with the two, Nigeria is poised to unlock her unprecedented economic potentials in alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for a prosperous, modern and efficient transportation sector.
He is banking on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to drive the Lagos-Abuja High-Speed Railway and Super Highway as a key economic game changer to be led by the AEC-Geofocus consortium.
Without mincing words, it is an incontestable fact that tackling Nigeria’s infrastructure deficits, particularly in road and rail transport, is an irreducible essential condition for driving economic growth, wealth creation and sustainable development in Africa’s largest economy.
On a closer examination, the Lagos-Abuja corridor spans over 500 kilometers and the speed train initiative will course through Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi, and Niger states before hitting Abuja, the Nigeria Capital under a design model of Build, Finance, Operate, and Maintain (DBFOM).
Returning to Idris again. By his revelation, AEC-Geofocus, a consortium of engineers, planners, and investors, has successfully attracted $16 billion from Middle Eastern investors, with additional interest from European financial institutions and the World Bank.
The financial framework will minimise government expenditure, safeguard public funds and prevent cost overruns through an efficient risk-sharing mechanism while the high-speed train component itself has a double-gauge rail line capable of allowing speed up to 250 km/hr, with two main stations in Lagos and Abuja as well as 11 intermediate stops.
A bullet train traveling at 250 km/hr, will slash Lagos-Abuja travel time from 10 hours by road to just 3 hours by rail. The Super Highway will cut travel time to 5 hours between Nigeria’s two key cities – Lagos and Abuja.
Beyond transportation, there are plans for ten smart cities, one million housing units and an independent power plant along the project’ corridor, thus, positioning it as a transformative initiative for Africa.
The grand project flag-off will happen soon this year, perhaps this February 2025 just as Nigerians look forward to AEC-Geofocus delivering world-class infrastructure and revolutionise Nigeria’s transportation sector and economy.
Globally, the world records for top operating speeds bullet trains go to China’s Shanghai Maglev Train with a top speed of 431 km/h (268 mph) and CR400 Fuxing Hao at 350 km/h (220 mph). The two are closely followed by France’s TGV Duplex and Japan’s E5 Series Shinkansen. Both have maximum operating speeds of 320 km/h (200 mph) for commercial services, according to the Wikipedia.
The driving distance between Lagos and Abuja is put at 748km. It takes an approximated 9 hours and 52 minutes to drive from Lagos to Abuja or vice versa. The Lagos – Abuja Super Highway is projected to slash it to 5 hours or less while the Speed train(bullet) will crash the riding time to between 2.5hrs and 3hrs. And working at full capacity, bullet speed train transports between 850,000 to 1,000,000 people per day.
The bottom line is: the project has set off new economic hubs. Ogun, the Gateway State with her strategic location, is host to this emerging economic hub along the project corridor, especially the Kobape-Siun-Sagamu-Interchange road and aligning axis. Multinational companies are berthing and ready for business on that stretch as investors continue to consider Ogun State as their first destination of choice.
The Abeokuta-Sagamu-Interchange road is the ceremonial route to the Gateway State capital, Abeokuta, linking it to the bustling Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Lagos-Benin and by extension, the South-Eastern and northern parts of Nigeria.
A year ago, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment at the time, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, and the Governor of Ogun State, Prince (Dr) Dapo Abiodun, commissioned two new factories and extension of the Tropical General Investment Group (TGI) at the Sagamu Interchange boosting the 36-kilometre long corridor as host of a vast number of government acquired lands being guided jealously by the Ogun State government.
Going by the government’s Master Plan, it is projected to be the Dubai of Nigeria in no time as it is also expected harbour big conglomerates, skyscrapers and the best of technology – driven housing schemes.
Economists are already projecting that Ogun State corridor of the Lagos-Abuja Super Highway and High-Speed Train initiative coupled with the wave of industries berthing along the
Kobape-Siun-Sagamu-Interchange
stretch, will witness an economic burst with potential to engender millions of direct and indirect job opportunities as people of different skills, vocations and expertise gravitate towards this emerging economic hub.
The unfolding scenario will create an immediate short and medium term housing gaps necessitating other businesses such as real estate players to follow the factories so as to address the pressing housing needs of the workers and expatriates. This will in turn create opportunity for more jobs and more demand for housing.
Interestingly, this is where Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, the Nigerian top – notch real estate firm fits in perfectly.
The multiple awards winning Pelican Valley is the brain behind three modern estates – Pelican Brief Estate, Pelican’s Ecostay Apartments and the Pelican’s Greenish Acres Farm Estate situating along the Lagos-Abuja Super Highway and High-Speed Train initiative axis
and free from government acquisition.
Ogun state government-owned estates are also on that corridor which equally hosts the largest brewery in West Africa and some existing multinational companies. The Ogun State Agro Cargo Airport is just a few kilometers away from the axis.
One striking feature about the Pelican Valley estates is its proximity to strategic key economic indicators in the state and neighbouring states. It is a 45 -minute drive from Ikeja, Lagos and less than 15 minutes from Prof Wole Soyinka Train station, Abeokuta. What does this say? It is that you can now recuse yourself from the hassles and congestion of Lagos life to live in a serene and eco-friendly Pelican Valley Estates in Abeokuta, where the beauty of nature meets luxury.
So, living in Abeokuta while you work any where in Lagos and Oyo States is now an emerging reality with the Speed Train initiative which Mutiu Idris of the Geofocus consortium is talking about.
Ecostay Apartments considered as the flagship of Pelican Valley Limited’s real estate products, was inaugurated last September 11 where a major road leading to this technology – driven eco – friendly and novel habitat was named after former Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, to honour him for his exemplary rural development initiatives while in office as Governor of Ogun State.
Interestingly, the Ecostay Apartments started accepting clients for short let service accommodation early this year and the available facilities have been fully booked by clients till February, 2025 because of the comfort and safety it offers.
UN (POLAC) Ambassador, Dr Babatunde Adeyemo, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pelican Valley Ltd gave insight on the magic behind clients’ special interest and influx to the Ecostay Apartments.
Adeyemo said the secret lies in the fact that all the firm’s projects have always been strategy – driven as it does not venture into any project without first conducting informed research to determine its viability and market.
To him, the market for the short let service at the Ecostay Apartments is already on ground before the take off.
The affordability of the apartment by clients, even when the luxury and comfort it offers demand that the price ought to be on the high side, is also another valid reason the Ecostay Apartments is witnessing the all time full booking.
A two – bedroom apartment, ensuite and equipped with modern technology, electricity in an environment with five armed security guards, CCTV among other trappings, goes for N50K per night.
The real estate firm is leveraging on the needs of almost 900 Nigerians in diaspora, who have already keyed into the Pelican Brief Estate project as well as the opportunities which the industrial and agrarian area of Kobape corridor have provided to commence the short – let apartments service.
He said, “All our projects are always strategically driven. We planned very well before before embarking on any developmental project and we have done our research by fact that we have almost 900 Nigerians in diaspora who have keyed into the Pelican Brief rejects. That singular pool prepared a ready made market for the Ecostay Apartments because these our brothers and sisters abroad will come and monitor their projects, while monitoring, they need comfortable and secure place to stay around. Those Apartments are also available for sale.
“You know Kobape is like an industrial and emerging location of Ogun State where we have a lot of industries and agric farm settlements and most of the farms and industries are owned by expatriates and Nigerians in diaspora who would want a luxurious place very close to their projects. At the same time, the expatriates in those industries in and around Kobape corridor will also be looking for a modern area with facilities to stay. That is our target.”
Asked how many apartments are available at the facility presently, the real estate Czar says, he loves to start small and grow from there with time, standard and due diligence as it was in the case with his pioneer real estate projects.
“I’m a kind of person that love to start small and grow from there. Presently we just started with a fully furnished two and three bedrooms apartments and we are about to commence working on duplexes too. The ones on ground now has been booked till early February 2025 but in a week away, we will be through with additional apartments. The furnishing will be completed in two weeks time. We also have other few apartments which are sold and fully paid for.
“So, we are targeting about 30 apartments between now and the first quarter of 2025. So, Pelican Ecostay Apartments is a project, fortified with lots of exotic luxuries in an environment where nature itself meets luxury. The ambience is full of nature. A look at our rooms you will see that they’re exquisite and tastefully finished. We have 24hrs unlimited Internet and WiFi connection services there coupled with smart TVs.
“We have a washing machine and deep freezer for chilling. We have made provisions for private chef. We have a contract with a chef who will cook whatever you want as your meals, package and store. For recreation, we have a lawn tennis court there, a basketball court and table tennis court as well as picnic tent – a grill machine and a super sound system for client who want to have a short party. We also have a binocular one can use for viewing places away from where they are. We have a camel for your tourist attraction and we are bringing in peacocks and some other things.
“And because of our Ecostay Apartments, we have also prepared a nursery for various kinds of vegetables, pepers, we want to start rearing snails for our consumption there, we want to start rearing grass cutters too for clients and guests that want bush meat, we want rear rabbits too for our clients consumption. We have ultramodern inbuilt kitchen with all facilities. Just get in there everything that you need to get a quality life moving is already there in the Ecostay Apartments. We have five armed security guards there and CCTV camera all round the Ecostay Apartments. So, even from Pelican Valley I can monitor what is happening in Ecostay Apartments. It is a fully secure environment. We have the Gardner’s and other manpower to make the place comfortable for clients and potential subscribers. We also have short -let apartments in Pelican Valley Estate, Laderin as well.
“Pelican Ecostay Apartments is a sure buy for any of our existing and potential subscribers.
“On the cost of the apartments, they are relatively cheap compared to the facilities there. In apartment where we have almost all the facilities you can think of. For a two bedroom apartment, it is just N50K per night. It is relatively good. The electricity is there with a 500 kv electrictransformer, the solar inverter is there. We have a lot of internal game facilities and also for outdoor games. All our rooms are ensuite with air conditioner. It is full lot of luxury in a serene environment.
“So, we using this opportunity to call on more Nigerians at home and diaspora to key into this project. It is a wonderful opportunity. No one will regret, by the first quarter of next year, our Ecostay Apartments houses prices will also increase and because of the inflationary trend, we will review our prices upward for our houses in Ecostay Apartments. This is just the right time for any prospective and potential customer to take advantage and buy houses which could also be used as holiday home or a short let apartment.”
