Stakeholder Management in Transport Infrastructure Projects: Lessons from the Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway

Effective stakeholder management is a determinant of success in large-scale transport infrastructure projects, influencing project timelines, community acceptance, and long-term operational viability. This study examines stakeholder management practices in the Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway project, one of Nigeria's most prominent recent rail infrastructure investments linking the North Central and North West zones. A professional case study design was employed, drawing on project implementation documents, media archives, and semi-structured interviews with 20 stakeholders, including government officials, affected community representatives, railway operations staff, and passenger advocacy groups. The study evaluates stakeholder identification, engagement timing, conflict management, communication strategies, and the integration of stakeholder feedback into project management decisions. Findings reveal that while consultation with federal and state government stakeholders was systematic, community-level stakeholder engagement was initiated late in the project timeline, contributing to land acquisition disputes that caused construction delays of approximately nine months along three sections. Passenger advocacy inputs were not formally incorporated into station design decisions, leading to post-launch complaints about accessibility and facility adequacy. The study recommends the adoption of a formal stakeholder engagement plan as a mandatory project document from the pre-feasibility stage, with community engagement commencing before design finalisation. These lessons are directly applicable to the management of ongoing and planned railway projects across Nigeria. Keywords: stakeholder management, railway infrastructure, Abuja-Kaduna rail, project management, community engagement.