Railway
Lagos-Ibadan train: NRC set to unveil e-ticketing concessionaire, gets ICRC nod
The Nigerian Railway Corporation in conjunction with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is set to unveil a credible concessionaire that will manage the electronic ticketing solution for Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe trains.
Ahead of the unveiling of bidders for the project on Monday November 22, the ICRC on Friday presented the Outline Business Case (OBC) certificate for the proposed e-ticketing solution for the train services to the NRC.
The OBC certificate otherwise known as the Certificate of Compliance implies that the planned Public Private Partnership (PPP) project for the e-ticketing solution is bankable and commercially viable.
Acting DG of the ICRC, Mike Ohiani, presented the certificate to the NRC Managing Director, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, at a ceremony held in Lagos.
The NRC had earlier through an advertisement invited prospective bidders for the design, build, operate and transfer of e-ticketing solution for the Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe standard gauge services.
Okhiria said the introduction of e-ticketing earlier on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service had improved revenue generation.
He said, “Sometimes ago, we introduced the e-ticketing on Abuja-Kaduna train service and the benefits of it have been an eye-opener. And apart from the benefits to the users, the NRC and the government are also reaping from the e-ticketing.
“I am proud to say that since the introduction of the e-ticketing, the revenue has gone up drastically either by encouraging users to use the train or if there were leakages, at least, they have been blocked somehow and the fear of ticket racketeering has also reduced by introducing the e-ticketing and its technology. It cannot be perfect in one day; we are also reviewing it on a daily basis, on a weekly basis, on a monthly basis and trying to improve on what we are doing. That exercise covers Abuja-Kaduna train operation.
“Now that we have introduced new trains and we have introduced new routes, we believe we should do them separately so that we don’t put our eggs in one basket. As a result of that we approached the ICRC with a business case; it went through several reviews and we are happy today that they are officially presenting the Outline Business Case certificate that enables us to advertise the project of the secure ticketing solution.
“That would bring smiles to the people using Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri train services because at the comfort of their homes, they can plan their programmes; buy their tickets and they don’t need to come to the stations to buy tickets and it will reduce the pressure on our staff in trying to control the crowd at a particular time.”
The Acting DG of ICRC stated that there was the need to shore up the revenue of the Federal Government to justify the infrastructural revolution of President Muhammadu Buhari whom he described as an Infrastructure President.
He said, “ICRC is the agency of the Federal Government set up to midwife and drive all PPP projects in the country. We provide regulatory oversight.
“As a result of that, the NRC approached us with this project, the e-ticketing in respect of Ibadan standard gauge services and Warri-Itakpe for the e-ticketing. We want to commend the efforts of the NRC for the good job they are doing, as well as the Ministry of Transportation.
“The essence of this project, the overall scope of both projects is for design, finance, build, operate and manage secure e-ticketing solution hardware and software for passenger station in Lagos-Ibadan standard train service and Warri-Itakpe.
“The e-ticketing solution will make travelling experience for passengers very easy. As the MD has rightly stated, in the comfort of your home, you would be able to obtain tickets. It will also provide security services, in the sense that before you buy the ticket, the passengers’ luggage would have been scanned. It will provide efficiency. You know we are living in a challenging situation in order to secure all the facilities, that is part of what the e-ticketing is designed to do.
“It will also increase revenue generation through reduction of fraud, fare evasion as well as increasing fare purchase option for teeming clients. Overall the solution is proposed for a secured seamless ticketing system on the routes earlier on stated.
“The Federal Government is expected to, through the NRC, generate N12.4bn in four years for Lagos-Ibadan and N9.6bn for Warri-Itakpe within the period under review. We are here this morning to present the certificate showing that the project is bankable.
“Then we will go into the next phase. As the MD has rightly stated, starting from Monday where we will secure a credible concessionaire that would manage the e-ticketing solution. That is the essence of our being here. We want to thank you people and we want to assure Nigerians that once this project is concluded, you get efficient services. There would be improvement and no time wasting for the passengers, this we can guarantee you.”
Railway
NRC increases trips on Abuja-Kaduna route from four to six
NRC increases trips on Abuja-Kaduna route from four to six
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced an increase in the number of trains on its Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) route in response to rising demand based on its customer feedback.
A statement signed by the NRC Deputy Director of Public Relations, Yakub Mahmood, on Wednesday, said the number of trains had been increased to six from four, running Monday to Friday during peak periods.
This development, it added, aimed to enhance customer satisfaction by making commuting more convenient and accessible on the route as well as tackling complaints of ticket racketeering.
The statement quoted the acting Managing Director of the NRC, Ben Iloanusi, as saying that a five-month trend analysis revealed a 22 per cent increase in new passengers registering on the ticketing platform for the Abuja-Kaduna route.
The surge, he said, showed a growing preference among Nigerians for train travel as a comfortable, reliable, and safe commuting option.
The statement read, “The Nigerian Railway Corporation, reaffirming its commitment to responding to customer demands, improving customer satisfaction, and tackling complaints of ticket racketeering, has increased the number of train services from four to six from Monday to Friday when demand tends to peak on its AKTS route.”
The NRC also noted that similar trends had been observed on the Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe, and Port Harcourt-Aba routes, with efforts already underway to enhance services along these routes as well.
The acting MD assured Nigerians of the increased presence of NRC senior management across all train service routes to drive continuous efficiency and tackle the issue of ticket racketeering head-on.
“Our valued customers are encouraged to use NRC ticket platforms online to take advantage of the increased services and avoid patronising ticket racketeers.
“Additional information can be obtained from the NRC website, www.nrc.gov.ng,” it stated.
The expanded services on the Abuja-Kaduna route, it said, followed similar enhancements on the Lagos-Ibadan route, which now includes additional trips on Fridays and Saturdays to accommodate increasing demand.
Railway
Nigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route
Nigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the introduction of additional train trips on its Lagos-Ibadan Train Service (LITS) route, exclusively for Fridays and Saturdays.
This initiative increases weekend trips from two to three, offering commuters greater travel flexibility.
The announcement, made via the NRC’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, revealed that the new Lagos-to-Ibadan trip will depart at 1:40 pm, complementing the existing schedules of 7:45 am and 4:00 pm.
For the Ibadan-to-Lagos route, the additional trip is set for 10:50 am, joining the regular departures at 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.
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“Catch our extra Friday & Saturday train trips on LAGOS – IBADAN TRAIN SERVICE (LITS).
“LAGOS to IBADAN:
“•Times: 7:45am, 1:40pm, 4:00pm
“IBADAN to LAGOS:
“•Times: 8:00am, 10:50am, 4:30pm,” NRC’s tweet read in part.
This tweet by the Nigerian Railway Corporation further noted that the new schedule complements the existing Sunday-to-Thursday trips, which remain unchanged with departure times at 8:00 am and 4:00 pm from both Lagos and Ibadan.
This move by the NRC to expand the schedule is aimed at accommodating increased demand, particularly during weekends, and providing greater flexibility for commuters traveling between Lagos and Ibadan.
The move is expected to ease travel pressures and improve convenience for passengers on one of Nigeria’s busiest rail routes.
Travelers are encouraged to take advantage of the additional services and book tickets early via the e-ticketing website. to secure their spots, especially as the Lagos-Ibadan rail route continues to grow in popularity.
Nigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route
Railway
Nigeria gets $350m AfDB facility for Kano-Maradi rail project
Nigeria gets $350m AfDB facility for Kano-Maradi rail project
The Federal Government of Nigeria has secured $350 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fund the construction of the Kano-Maradi rail project, which will connect Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Adamu Aliero, made this disclosure on Monday during an oversight visit to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) headquarters in Lagos, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Aliero stated that the Kano-Maradi rail project is part of the government’s broader efforts to modernize Nigeria’s railway network and enhance regional trade links.
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“The Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Sen. Adamu Aliero, says the African Development Bank has released $350 million to the Federal Government for construction of a rail line from Kano to Maradi,” the NAN report read in part.
He also highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to China focused on finalizing negotiations for 85% of the financing needed to upgrade and rehabilitate the nation’s rail infrastructure.
Aliero disclosed that the supplementary budget recently passed by the National Assembly allocated over N530 billion as counterpart funding for these modernization efforts. The remaining 85% of the funds will be sourced from institutions such as China Exim Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and AfDB.
Nigeria gets $350m AfDB facility for Kano-Maradi rail project
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