China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and the Nigerian Ministry of Transport signed Monday agreements in the Hilton Hotel in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, on building a 186.5 km modernized railway.

The railway is designated to have nine stations and 18 bridges. The contracted value is $850 million and the construction period is three years.

On behalf of the CCECC and Nigerian Ministry of Transport, Zhou Tianxiang, deputy general manager of the CCECC, and Nigerian Minister of Transport Ibrahim Bio signed the agreements.

"With the construction of the railway, the dream of achieving a seamless transport network as envisaged in the vision 2020 shall be realized and the construction will substantially improve the well being of Nigerian people," he said.

Zhou Tianxiang said the CCECC will deliver an efficient and functional railway system within the stipulated 36 months.

"We will commit ourselves to building a modernized railway system in Nigeria, which would be incomparable in Africa."

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Xu Jianguo was present on the signing ceremony and expressed congratulations on the progress of Sino-Nigerian cooperation in infrastructure development.