NRC targets moving 100 containers daily from Lagos to Kaduna, Kano by rail

There are plans to commence movement of containers by rail soon from Lagos port to Kaduna by rail with an initial target of 50 to 100 containers daily.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, disclosed this when he received the management team of the ICNL, led by the Managing Director, Mr Omotayo Dada, at the corporation’s headquarters, Ebute Metta, Lagos, on Tuesday.
Only recently, the corporation re-launched the rail cargo train from Apapa port Lagos to Moniya container terminal deport in Ibadan, Oyo State, following a partnership deal with APMT.
The NRC MD had earlier paid a visit to ICNL headquarters in Kaduna, which paved the way for discussion on the resumption of container movement by rail to Kaduna, according to a statement by the corporation.
Opeifa said the corporation was willing to partner with major movers of large containers from across the country.
He said the corporation would continue to design products for companies willing to use the rail to move its cargoes.
He noted that with the ICNL partnership, the corporation hopes to move additional 50 to 100 containers per day from Lagos to Kano via Apapa, Ijoko, Ilorin, Minna and Kaduna.

L-R: Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa; Managing Director, Inland Containers Nigeria Ltd, Mr Omotayo Dada, and the Head of Commercial Services, Mrs Odetunde King Abigail, during the courtesy call on the NRC MD…on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Director of Operations and Commercial of the corporation, Mr Akin Osinowo, said the corporation was in talks with many manufacturers, including the Dangote Group of Companies and BUA, among others.
He added that the NRC still continues to service Lafarge, taking cement consignments from Ewekoro to Osogbo and Ilorin.
He however said any company or terminal operator partnering with it is meant to add value to rail movement by using their size and status to prospect new customers in order to boost the railway’s haulage capacity.
He said the ICNL is a long standing customer of the corporation, adding that some of the factors that led to the stoppage of cargo movement especially on the narrow gauge are being addressed.
He said issues such as insecurity, especially between Minna and Kaduna, and the washouts of several portions of the rail tracks, among others, were being aggressively addressed either by the corporation’s team of engineers or by the Federal Government.
The NRC management and that of ICNL expressed commitment to continue their engagement and draw a road map for quick commencement of container freight to as far as to Kaduna and Kano on the western line.

Expect more new generation trains under Tinubu – Opeifa

*FG to support states in developing intra-city rail

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has said the Tinubu administration will next month come up with a master plan for the nation’s railway.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda had agreed to support all state governments to develop their intra-city rail networks taking off from the national rail corridor in their state.

He said under President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians would operate more new generation train systems comparable to anywhere in the world.

He said this during a visit by the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, who led top management of the agency, among them Director of Rail Services, Olasunkanmi Okusaga, Head Corporate Communication, Kolawole Ojelabi, and the Corporate Legal Secretary, Abiola Ajayi, to the NRC head office, Lagos.

Opeifa lauded the Lagos State Government which through LAMATA has been operating two metro trains (Red and Blue Lines) based on the licences issued by the corporation.

LAMATA, he said, had proved to the world that nothing is impossible.

The NRC MD said, “The Blue Line is an example that nothing is impossible. That is a line that runs exclusively on electricity and LAMATA has been able to keep it in operation for two years non-stop.

“In the next five years, a lot of things will change in this country and soon, Nigerians will be able to even enjoy new generation rail system.

“In our generation, we shall be able to operate all modes of modern rail system comparable to anywhere in the world.”

Opeifa who lamented that Nigeria built about 3,500 kilometres of rail track in 60 years and stopped for another 60 years, said this administration was determined to put a stop to that and ensure that it sustained the massive investments of the Federal Government in rail transportation infrastructure.

He said as facilitator of trade and business, the corporation would continue to give priority to areas that would lessen the burden of transportation on the people, reduce poverty, and bring down the rising inflation.

He said he looked forward to the time when all states of the federation would be able to run train services round the clock, which would reduce the burden on the NRC and make it to concentrate on freight movement.

He promised to continue to give Lagos State and other federating states expeditious approvals as this remains the only way to ensure that they would be able to take train services to the hinterlands for the benefit of Nigerians.

He disclosed that four more states are at various stages of readiness to join Lagos as train-friendly states.

Plateau, Niger, Bauchi and Ogun states were discussing with the corporation in opening up their states for rail development, he added.

Opeifa who was excited to receive the LAMATA team said as a Lagosian, he remained determined to push the corporation to continue to support all LAMATA’s strides.

He stressed that with him at the helm of affairs at the NRC, Lagos should consider the corporation as a ready and willing partner.

In her own remarks, LAMATA’s Managing Director, Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, said her team had considered it needful to pay the new NRC MD a visit because of the cordial relationship between the corporation and LAMATA.

She said LAMATA is happy that a Lagosian and a member of the LAMATA family is now at the helms of affairs at the NRC.

She said, “We are happy about your appointment and we are looking forward to more fruitful working relationship with the NRC. We are happy that both the NRC and LAMATA are driven by the passion to make rail transportation available to Nigerians.”

She also said Lagos State had continued to make judicious use of the licences given to the state for both the Red and Blue Line and the access granted for the Red Line to use the national corridor.

“We decided to pay you a visit and to warmly welcome you back into the transportation family, knowing that under you the Nigerian Railway Corporation would continue to play a major role in Lagos State’s transportation initiatives especially relating to the rail development,” Akinajo said.

In a related development the Managing Director of Inland Container Nigeria Ltd, Mr Omotayo Dada, came to seek more partnership with the NRC in moving more containers to the North.

Dada, who visited Opeifa along with the Head of Commercial Services, Mrs King Abigail Odetunde, said ICNL is desirous to sustain and expand containerized movement from Apapa to the Northern parts of the country.

Responding, Opeifa said the NRC is desirous of developing new business lines, adding that as a facilitator of business, the NRC would continue to support businesses, sub nationals and the private sector through its specially structured Track Access Business Model and Freight Movement priorities.

Four states get FG N400bn funding for light rail projects

Four states have been allocated a total sum of N400bn in the 2025 national budget for light rail projects to improve transportation system and by extension the economy.

The N400 billion for the light rail was allocated to projects in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna and Kano states.
The National Assembly last week Thursday passed N54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill.
The N400bn, newstrends.ng learnt, was not part of N54.2 trillion revised proposal that President Bola Tinubu presented to the assembly two weeks ago, seeking approval from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The N400 billion for the light rail is obviously an addition by the lawmakers.
On February 5, President Tinubu sought an addition of N4.53 trillion to the budget, raising the proposal from N49.7 trillion to N54.27 trillion.
By the time the lawmakers approved the budget pushing the total to N54.99 trillion, N400 billion allocation to the new light rail projects in four states had been added.
Financing and construction of light rail systems are typically the responsibility of state governments.
It is not clear if the FG funds for the light rail is a support grant or loan to the four states.
In the final approved budget, lawmakers allocated N150 billion to Kano, N100 billion each to Ogun and Kaduna, and N50 billion to Lagos for the rail projects.
The amount is said to be different from the the plan to transfer N146.14 billion to Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) as counterpart funding for the Lagos Green Line Metro Rail Phase 1 contained in the initial budget.
This brings the provision for rail projects in Lagos state alone to N196.14 billion in the 2025 budget.