A picture taken on Dec. 2, 2014 shows Shi Hongbing, general manager of the Nigeria office of the China Railway Construction Corporation, and Nigeria's transport minister Idris Umar. [Photo: CRI Online]

The China Railway Construction Corporation has finished laying track for Nigeria's first standard-gauge railway project.

The 180-kilometer railway links Nigeria's capital Abuja and the northwestern state of Kaduna with 9 stations and has a design speed of 150 kilometers.

The project has taken three years to finish at a cost of some 850-million US dollars.

Shi Hongbing is the general manager at the Nigeria office of the CRCC.

"We have completed over 100 roads, bridges, buildings and railway projects in Nigeria, which created hundreds of jobs and prompted technological exchanges. These projects also help the Nigerian government and people to have a better knowledge about Chinese companies."

Nigeria's transport minister Idris Umar acknowledges China's strength in railway projects and hopes cooperation between the two countries will continue.

"We chose a Chinese railway company because I think China is in top in terms of railway development. And they have a period of just under 20 years in their railway system. There is a very significant and cordial relationship between Nigeria and China. We do hope that this relationship will continue to prosper and grow to strength."

It's part of a larger-scale plan to replace the narrow-gauge tracks in Nigeria with a wider gauge system to allow for high-speed rail operations in the country.

At the same time, CRCC has also reportedly bid again for the Mexican high-speed railway project jointly with China South Rail.

The Mexican government canceled the 3.8 billion U.S. dollar contract last month after the two companies won the bidding.