NRC Expands Abuja–Kaduna Train Service with Additional Trips 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced an expansion of services on the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), adding extra daily trips to meet the rising demand of commuters along one of Nigeria’s busiest rail corridors. The revised schedule takes effect Friday, March 6, 2026.

According to NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the expansion is intended to provide more travel options, enhance operational flexibility, and improve service delivery for passengers on the route. He urged commuters to review the updated timetable and plan their journeys accordingly.

The Abuja–Kaduna corridor had previously experienced operational disruptions due to a bomb blast on March 28, 2022, and a derailment on August 26, 2025, which reduced the number of trains in service from three to one. Temporary Speed Restrictions (TSRs) were introduced for safety, and daily trips were adjusted to match the limited rolling stock. With stability now restored, NRC has reinstated and expanded services in response to sustained passenger demand.

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Under the new schedule, passengers travelling between Idu and Rigasa stations will have three trips on Fridays, Sundays, Saturdays, and Mondays, and two trips on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, trains depart Idu at 8:45 a.m. and return from Rigasa at 2:30 p.m. On Fridays and Sundays, departures from Idu are at 7:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., with return trips from Rigasa at 11:30 a.m. On Saturdays and Mondays, services leave Rigasa at 7:15 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and depart Idu at 11:00 a.m., with all trains making scheduled stops at Kubwa.

NRC said the expanded trips are part of its ongoing commitment to improving rail capacity, reliability, safety, and overall passenger experience across the network. The corporation noted that the adjustments will ensure smoother travel, reduce overcrowding, and strengthen connectivity between Abuja and Kaduna for both commuters and business travellers.

With the additional services, NRC aims to restore confidence in rail travel and position the Abuja–Kaduna corridor as a reliable and safe alternative to road transport, particularly for daily commuters and long-distance travellers.

NRC Expands Abuja–Kaduna Train Service with Additional Trips

Historic, Rotary Club of Ota holds fellowship on moving NRC train

The Rotary Club of Ota has set a national precedent by hosting Nigeria’s first-ever Rotary fellowship aboard a moving train, marking a unique blend of innovation, service and strategic partnership with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

The historic fellowship, held on February 28, 2026, brought together members of the club for leadership interaction, networking and discussions focused on humanitarian service, climate action and sustainable community development — all while in transit.

Leading the event was the President of the Rotary Club of Ota, Mr. Charles Umukoro, alongside members of the club’s executive and general membership.

Key officers present are Vice President Bisi Seleso, Pioneer President Olumide Adebiyi, Treasurer Olumide Omotola, President-Elect Fatai Wasi, and the club’s doyen and the oldest serving member, Dr. Kele Abolaji.

The unconventional setting underscored Rotary’s drive to reimagine fellowship and civic engagement.

Participants described the moving-train gathering as symbolic of progress and forward momentum — values closely aligned with the transformation agenda of the NRC.

A major highlight of the occasion was the visit of the Railway District Manager, Engr. Rasheed Adedeji, who welcomed the Rotarians on board.

His presence added institutional weight to the event and reinforced the growing collaboration between the railway management and the civic organisation.

In a symbolic gesture reflecting shared values of service and partnership, Engr. Adedeji was formally inducted as a member of the Rotary Club of Ota following his welcome address.

The induction was widely seen as a step toward deepening institutional cooperation between the club and the railway corporation.

Beyond its novelty, the fellowship also carried a strong environmental message. As part of its climate action agenda, the Rotary Club of Ota commenced a large-scale tree-planting exercise on the same day, aimed at contributing to climate change mitigation and environmental protection within its host communities.

Club leaders said the initiative aligns with Rotary International’s growing emphasis on environmental sustainability as a core area of focus.

By combining an innovative fellowship format with tangible environmental action, the club sought to demonstrate that civic organisations can creatively advance impact-driven programmes.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation, which hosted the event, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives that promote national development, environmental sustainability and community advancement.

The corporation also highlighted the railway system as a safe, modern and strategic platform for engagement and national integration.

The development was contained in a statement signed by Callistus Unyimadu, Chief Public Relations Officer, for the Management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

With the landmark moving-train fellowship and the launch of its environmental intervention, the Rotary Club of Ota has positioned itself as a trailblazer within Nigeria’s civic space — proving that service to humanity can, quite literally, remain on the move.

Railway track vandalism: Urgent need for laws prohibiting scrap/metal picking to protect critical assets 

By Onyedikachi Stanley Onovo

The wanton destruction and theft of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure and other critical public assets represent one of the gravest threats to national development and security.

Across the nation—from the Warri-Itakpe line to Abuja-Kaduna, the Eastern and Western Districts, Lagos-Ibadan, and throughout the Northern network—vandals systematically dismantle tracks, steal armoured cables, and pillage essential equipment. This crisis demands an immediate and robust legislative response.

The unending menace

The vandalism is perpetrated by a network of individuals, from local miscreants (“iron condemn”) to organised merchants who purchase and export stolen materials. Security reports and countless arrests underscore the scale of the problem:

In December 2023, a private security firm arrested 13 suspects for vandalising Abuja Mass Transit Rail assets. The suspects were said to be casual workers engaged by a Chinese company working on the railways, but said to have used the opportunity to steal the materials.

On June 2024, The Cable reported that the Nigerian Army arrested 47 suspected rail track vandals in Kaduna State.

In October 2025, police arrested a suspect vandalising railway electrical installations also in Kaduna State.

Radio Nigeria in December 2025 announced the arrest of three persons in Kwara State for vandalizing and stealing Railway clips and nuts in Offa.

In May 2021, TVC reported some individuals, including one Ejike Okeke were apprehended in Enugu with stolen sleepers and tracks.

On the 30th of January 2026 the Nigerian Television Authority reported that the NSCDC, Bauchi State Command arrested five suspects and intercepted a truck carrying vandalized railway tracks.

This relentless assault has plagued successive management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), defying conventional counter-strategies.

A transformative leadership initiative

A pivotal shift began under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the appointment of Dr. Kayode Opeifa as Managing Director/CEO of the NRC.

Dr. Opeifa introduced a fundamental paradigm shift by redesignating what was carelessly termed “scrap” as “unserviceable critical national assets.”

This reframing has driven a transformative partnership with experts to manage these assets responsibly. The era of controversial public auctions—which often saw valuable national iron assets disappear, depriving Nigeria of materials for repurposing and industrialisation—is now over.

Today, a systematic process ensures these materials are reused or responsibly processed, with revenue reinvested into the Corporation. This home-grown solution is a commendable breakthrough that proves Nigerians can effectively solve national challenges.

The critical legislative gap: Targeting the market

While the NRC’s internal reforms are laudable, they alone cannot stem the tide. The root enabler of this vandalism is the thriving, unregulated market for stolen metal. To kill the vandal’s incentive, we must eradicate the demand.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for the National Assembly to enact legislation that:

1. Prohibits the buying and selling of any railway materials (serviceable or unserviceable) on the open market.

2. Imposes severe penalties on buyers and merchants of vandalised public assets, effectively targeting the economic drivers of this crime.

3. Mandates stringent federal regulation of all scrap metal dealers nationwide.

THE SCRAP DEALER NEXUS

The opaque operations of scrap dealers are a major concern. Their compounds are often shrouded, hiding the provenance of their materials. This unregulated space fuels not only railway vandalism but also community theft—from iron crossing bars in homes to street lamp holders.

Trailers loaded with questionable materials move freely from cities and expressways to unknown destinations. Without regulating this sector, our fight against vandalism remains superficial.

CONCLUSION

The partnership and innovation under Dr. Opeifa’s leadership at the NRC demonstrate what is possible with commitment and vision.

However, to secure our railways, power installations, and other critical assets, we must complement this institutional resolve with strong, deterrence-based law. Legislation that dismantles the market for stolen public property is not an option; it is a national imperative for Nigeria’s security and industrial future.

*Onyedikachi Stanley Onovo, Ph.D

FCAI, ANIPR

onyedikachionovo1@gmail.com excellentdikachi@yahoo.com