Nigeria opens new port - hundreds of kilometres from the sea

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has launched the country's first ever dry port in the northern city of Kaduna. 

The container facility is linked by railway to the giant sea port in Lagos, more than 700km (430 miles) away, and will open up the landlocked north to trade. 

It will initially be able to handle 29,000 tonnes of cargo each year, and is expected to generate 5,000 jobs. 

The dry port will also serve as a distribution point for landlocked countries north of Nigeria, including Niger and Chad. Nigeria plans to open six more dry ports in other parts of the country.

Here are some pictures of Mr Buhari at the event today:

President Muhammadu @MBuhari is now at Kakuri to commission the first inland dry port in Nigeria. #KadunaPort pic.twitter.com/xedxUSyjao

— Governor Kaduna (@GovKaduna) January 4, 2018