The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed why local contractors cannot handle big rail construction projects in the country.

Amaechi said local contractors lack the capacity to handle big rail construction projects they want.

He spoke in Lagos State while responding to agitation from local contractors on why they have been sidelined in the award of rail contracts.

Amaechi said local contractors needs to acquire the requisite experience before they could handle rail projects in Nigeria.

He said: “A contractor must have at least five years experience and genuine evidence of work done to be awarded a contract.

“We are not using our local contractors because they are not qualified. If you want to participate, build capacity. We can’t give you a life-threatening contract if we don’t trust your capacity.

“We said five years experience but a contractor in Nigeria will take a photograph of another man’s job as his own.

“How many Nigerians have done project management in railway? Yet they are applying. I am not against them applying but we don’t want them to go give the job to other contractors. show us you have the capacity and equipment and we will choose you.”

Railway projects across Nigeria are handled by Chinese companies.