Lagos-Ibadan rail to get four more trains as NRC opens two new stations

The Nigerian Railway Corporation will soon increase the daily train trips on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line from two to six.
Railway District Manager (RDM) for Lagos, Augustine Arisa, an engineer, disclosed this in an interview with some select journalists including NewsTrends reporter.

He said four more trains, two each from Lagos and Ibadan, would be added as soon as ongoing work on the telecommunication facility was completed. The facility will ensure smooth communication and between the train driver and the control tower.
Arisa spoke just as the corporation has opened for operation two recently completed train stations along the route, Ijoko and Papalanto.
The RDM said, “We currently run two return trips on Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line. I want to run six trains daily when the telecommunication facility is fully ready.
“I also want to move more containers from the port. This will no doubt positively affect the prices of goods in the market.
“It’s a lot of trailers that will be taken off the road. In the long run, it makes the products being carried cheaper for the final consumers/ buyers
“The double issue of accumulated demurrage and port congestion will also be solved with the evacuation of cargoes by rail. It saves the importer the cost of demurrage and ultimately makes the goods cheaper.”
He also spoke on the measure being taken to reduce the cost of moving containerised goods from Apapa port, Lagos, to Ibadan, Oyo State, following complaints by importers and customs agents.
Already, he said the Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, (an engineer), had set up a committee to review the container haulage rate in order to make it competitive and attractive to more people.
He said, “When the issue came to us, the MD immediately called a meeting and set up a committee to review the situation.
“All over the world, people complain of double handling.”
“On the complaint, we are expecting the report of the committee for a possible downward review of the freight rate,” Arisa added.
Meanwhile, the corporation has officially inaugurated the Ijoko and Papalanto train stations.
The report of the opening was obtained by NewsTrends from the NRC website on Tuesday.
This is therefore good news for people hoping to board or drop the train at these stations.
Before now, the train only stopped at Agege, Abeokuta and Omi Adio after taking off from Mobolaji Johnson Station in Lagos or Obafemi Awolowo Station in Ibadan.

New Port Harcourt – Maiduguri rail network ready soon, says minister

Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, says the nee Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line will be ready soon.

He said the rail project would be completed on time and meet the highest international standards.

According to him, the rail network is a clear testament to the current administration’s commitment to infrastructural development, economic growth, and national cohesion.

This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Monday by the Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to the minister, Jamilu Ja’afaru.

The minister said upon completion of the rail line, Nigerians would enjoy good trade, access market, and business places easily, and also boost agricultural production and its movement.

The minister noted that the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line is not just a transportation project but a transformation project.

He said: “It is about the movement of goods, people, and opportunities. It is about connecting Nigeria and driving growth.

“The 1,657km rail network, cutting across 13 states; Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Adamawa promises to unlock unprecedented benefits.

“In Rivers State, the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line will boost the state’s status as a major hub for commerce and trade, connecting it to key economic centres across the country.

“Abia, known for its vibrant commerce and industry, will enjoy improved business linkages, bolstering local industries and empowering small and medium-sized enterprises.

“The line will also stimulate agricultural productivity in states like Benue, known as Nigeria’s “food basket”, providing farmers with better access to markets, reducing post-harvest losses, and fostering rural development while Nasarawa and Plateau will reap the benefits in terms of easier movement of mineral resources, thereby boosting mining activities.

“In the North-East, atates like Bauchi, Gombe, and Borno will benefit significantly as the rail line would facilitate the quick and cost-effective movement of goods and people, fostering social integration, economic growth, and the much-needed post-insurgency reconstruction in the region.”

He added that Akwa Ibom and Cross River would witness enhanced tourism potential, with easier access to their rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes while Ebonyi and Adamawa states would also benefit from improved trade and commerce, fostered by the efficient transportation of goods and services.”

E-ticketing formally takes off on Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe rail lines today

Passengers travelling on popular Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri trains, both standard gauge, will henceforth pay for their tickets online as the electronic ticketing system formally commences today, Wednesday November 1, 2023.

Ahead of today’s rollout, the launch of the e-ticketing for the two new rail lines took place on Monday in Abuja with Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, expressing excitement about the innovative payment system.

This came after a trial run of the project for about a week.

The minister assured Nigerians that their data is safe because the booking would be done in a government-owned website.

The electronic ticketing contract was awarded earlier this year by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to two different companies for the Lagos-Ibadan route and the Warri-Itakpe route at a total cost of N1.96bn.

Like the Abuja-Kaduna train, Nigerians going on any of the two trains will henceforth be required to log on to the website of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and book their ticket using their National Identification Number (NIN) to purchase their tickets.

During the Monday launch in Abuja, Mr Pushrar demonstrating how to book ticket online, stated that a customer could only be allowed to purchase not more than three tickets, one for himself and he must provide the NIN of the two others he is purchasing for to avoid ticket racketeering.

Chairman of Fane International Consults, Mr Olufisayo Ishola, said customers must purchase tickets 24 hours before departure and there is no refund of money if the customer fails to show up.

He said once the ticket has been booked online, the customer only has five minutes to make payment, failing to do that within that time will lead to the cancellation of the ticket, noting that there is a N100 extra inconvenience fee by booking he said

Also, there will be point-of-sale machines for those who want to purchase at the station. The contractors explained that the machines for ticket purchases will be linked with the system to track payments and ensure no racketeering.

According to him, there will also be a verification point before boarding to ensure that the data of customers matches that of the ticket holder.

Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, also said the e-ticketing platform would increase revenue generation for the Federal Government.

He said the Federal Government had given the management of the e-ticketing for the Warri-Itakpe and Lagos–Ibadan routes to Ticketing Solutions Limited and Global Software and Digital Solution respectively for 10 years.

“I am happy about this project; apart from the fact that e-ticketing will end issues of ticket racketeering, it will also increase revenue from the routes.

“Already, last week, revenue on Warri-Itakpe increased from N3m to N4m and will increase further,” he said.