NRC, Plateau sign MoU to revive Jos–Kuru train

NRC, Plateau sign MoU to revive Jos–Kuru train

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and Plateau State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to restore and operate the historic Jos–Kuru rail corridor.

The agreement was signed at the NRC Lagos headquarters on Monday by the Commissioner for Transportation in Plateau State, Mr Jatau Davou, and the NRC Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa.

This is contained in a statement by the NRC Media Team, adding that it marks a significant milestone in efforts to boost economic activity, reduce transportation costs, and improve mobility in Plateau State and beyond.

Davou, who represented the Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, expressed profound gratitude to the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Said Ahmed Alkali, and the new NRC Managing Director, Dr Opeifa, for their unwavering support despite numerous challenges.

He said, “This is not just about rail transportation; it is about restoring hope and economic prosperity to our people. “We appreciate the United Nations for debunking negative narratives about our dear state and reaffirming our commitment to national development.”

Jos–Kuru line, according to the statement, a segment of the historic Kafanchan–Kuru route, will serve as a vital link between the Western and Eastern rail corridors.

It will connect local communities, support farmers and traders with efficient cargo movement, and ultimately drive down the cost and duration of travel within the state.

“While the service will initially operate on the existing narrow gauge, plans are underway to expand to modern standard gauge networks as part of a broader national railway modernisation programme,” it stated.

In his remarks, Opeifa emphasized the importance of federal-state cooperation in infrastructure development, lauding the Plateau State government’s proactive role in restoring the once-abandoned rail tracks.

“This partnership demonstrates how government at all levels can collaborate beyond politics, to deliver tangible benefits to Nigerians.

We’re not just bringing trains; we’re bringing back dignity, economic empowerment, and national integration,” Opeifa added.

He also clarified that recent reports of railway assets being stolen were misinformed.

“Those coaches were not stolen. They were redeployed to Plateau where they are now being rehabilitated and put to productive use.”

With the NRC committing to station a dedicated business manager in Plateau to oversee operations, the project is expected to generate jobs, stimulate local businesses, and offer new advertising and entertainment opportunities through train services, the statement added.

He disclosed that the Minister of Transportation, Alkali, threw his full weight behind this project, reaffirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and pledging the full support of the Federal Government in ensuring that it delivered full dividends of rail services to the average Nigerians who badly needed these services.

Opeifa said, “We will continue to (provide functional) rail across Nigeria — from Jos to Borno, from Aba to Port Harcourt, and everywhere in between. This is a new dawn for Nigerian rail.”

He said he looked forward to the commencement of commercial operation on the corridor anytime soon, in order to assure the people of the Plateau of the commitment of the FG under the Tinubu administration to take rail transportation all parts of Nigeria.