NRC Denies Ticket Racketeering, Says Abuja-Kaduna Rail Demand Exceeds Seats by 10-Fold

NRC Denies Ticket Racketeering, Says Abuja-Kaduna Rail Demand Exceeds Seats by 10-Fold

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has denied allegations that it deliberately creates artificial scarcity of tickets on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service to facilitate their resale at exorbitant prices, blaming the persistent shortage on surging passenger demand and the activities of ticket touts exploiting the system.

The corporation, in a statement signed by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, said demand for rail services on the corridor had exceeded available capacity by more than 10 times, creating a severe imbalance between the number of passengers seeking tickets and the limited seats available.

The clarification followed a viral social media video by Instagram blogger Faizah Raji, operating under the handle @wearegst, who accused the NRC of withholding tickets from its official electronic booking platform and reselling them through unnamed agents at prices reportedly twice the approved fares.

However, the NRC described the allegations as misleading, insisting that the corporation neither buys nor sells train tickets but facilitates passenger access to the railway service through approved ticketing arrangements.

According to the management, Raji had acknowledged in her account that the corporation warned passengers to purchase tickets exclusively through authorised platforms but subsequently bought a ticket from an agent after failing to secure one through the official portal.

The NRC said while her experience might be genuine, patronising unofficial ticket sellers despite repeated warnings did not establish the corporation’s involvement in the alleged racket.

It warned passengers that tickets obtained through unauthorised agents, particularly those purchased with another person’s identification details, could be invalid and expose travellers to financial losses or denial of boarding.

The corporation explained that electronic ticketing across its standard-gauge railway operations was handled by private concessionaires under public-private partnership arrangements approved by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Federal Executive Council before 2023.

It identified SecureID/TPS as the ticketing service provider for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service, Global Software Digital Solutions for the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, and Fane Warri-Itakpe Ticketing Solutions Limited for the Warri-Itakpe Train Service.

 

NIN verification introduced to combat ticket fraud

The NRC traced the growing challenge of ticket racketeering to fraudulent practices that persisted despite measures introduced to strengthen passenger identification and railway security.

It said the government introduced the use of the National Identification Number as a condition for purchasing train tickets following the 2022 train attack, partly to curb ticket racketeering.

However, according to the corporation, fraudsters subsequently devised ways of obtaining multiple NINs to purchase tickets in bulk for resale to unsuspecting passengers.

To tackle the practice, the NRC introduced an additional verification procedure in 2025, modelled on the system used at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2 in Lagos.

Under the arrangement, passengers’ NIN details are checked against the information used to purchase their tickets, while personal identification cards are also required before boarding.

The corporation said its verification system at Idu and Kubwa in Abuja, as well as Rigasa in Kaduna, is integrated with the National Identity Management Commission database, enabling officials to retrieve the photograph associated with the NIN used for a ticket purchase.

This, it explained, helps officials identify passengers attempting to travel with tickets purchased using another person’s identity.

The NRC, however, acknowledged that security challenges at the Rigasa station, which it described as having been hurriedly adopted, had occasionally made enforcement difficult because of limitations in its access-control infrastructure.

 

NRC vows crackdown on racketeering

Despite the challenges, the corporation declared zero tolerance for ticket racketeering, warning that any employee found participating in or colluding with fraudulent ticket sellers would face summary disciplinary action.

It also said the electronic ticketing concessionaires had been directed to improve the accessibility and ease of use of their booking platforms to ensure passengers could obtain tickets more conveniently while complying with established procedures.

The management maintained that the growing preference for train travel among Nigerians had placed considerable pressure on available capacity, reinforcing the need for passengers to use only approved booking channels.

It described the purchase of tickets through third parties using another person’s NIN or name as unacceptable and an act of economic sabotage that undermines the integrity of the railway system.

The corporation assured passengers that it remained committed to improving customer service, strengthening security and ensuring that rail travel became a preferred alternative for Nigerians.

It reiterated its commitment to providing safe, affordable, reliable and convenient train services across the country’s railway corridors while intensifying efforts to prevent criminal activities and protect the corporation’s reputation.