Railway
Opeifa inspects coaches, facilities at Abuja-Kaduna train after viral video
Opeifa inspects coaches, facilities at Abuja-Kaduna train after viral video
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has paid an unscheduled visit to the Idu Railway Station in Abuja, where he inspected facilities on an Abuja-Kaduna train.
This is in response to recent public concerns over the condition of train facilities, particularly the functionality of onboard toilets on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS).
The visit was prompted by an article currently in circulation, which alleged that all toilets aboard the Abuja-Kaduna train service were non-functional.
Determined to verify the claims and uphold service standards, Opeifa boarded the train and moved from coach to coach to conduct a thorough on-the-spot assessment of the toilets and other facilities inside the coaches.
Opeifa was accompanied on the inspection by senior officials and technical staff of the corporation who provided insights into the state of the facilities, ongoing maintenance routines, and improvement plans.
Opeifa reaffirmed the NRC’s commitment to ensuring safety, cleanliness, and comfort for all passengers across the national rail network.
He said, “We take all feedback seriously—whether from the media or passengers—and we are committed to transparency and continual improvement.
“Our visit today is part of our resolve to ensure that passengers receive the highest standard of service.”
On the state of the facilities, the Managing Director commended the AKTS team and the cleaning services provider, for their efforts over the past five months, noting significant improvements.
He acknowledged that while most toilets are now functional, there is still room for improvement.
He implored customers to continue to support the Corporation’s revitalization efforts by making their concerns known through the available customer complaint channels for prompt attention.
Dr. Opeifa also urged NRC staff to adopt a more customer-friendly attitude, emphasizing that the Corporation remains committed to improving customer service delivery and enhancing overall passenger experience.
The NRC assures the public that any identified deficiencies will be addressed swiftly and urges passengers to continue providing constructive feedback that will aid the Corporation in delivering a more efficient and reliable railway system.
Railway
Lagos-Kano rail: Narrow gauge restoration to reach Offa before December
Lagos-Kano rail: Narrow gauge restoration to reach Offa before December
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has intensified work on its restoration of the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge rail corridor.
It has therefore assured members of the public the commercial train services on the line will reach Offa in Kwara State before December thus year.
Managing Director of NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, stated this while receiving members of Lagos State chapter of the Offa Descendants Union (ODU) led by Dr. Waheed Olagunju who paid him a courtesy visit to congratulate him on his appointment.
A statement by the acting Deputy Director of Public Relations at the NRC, Callistus Unyimadu, quoted Opeifa as saying although the Western narrow gauge line would have resumed operations earlier, washout along the corridor delayed the process.
He said that NRC engineers were working round the clock to repair damaged tracks with service reactivation expected to reach Offa, Ilorin, Mokwa, Kaduna and ultimately Kano.
The NRC applauded the people of Offa for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding railway assets describing their efforts as exemplary.
He further assured that under his leadership , NRC would not only reactivate the Offa railway line but also revive the Railway Recreation Club, boosting community activities in the town.
Reiterating the importance of Offa in Nigeria’s railway history, Dr. Opeifa promised that the town would be prioritized under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He highlighted NRC’s recent partnerships with five higher institutions including the Federal Polytechnic, Offa to leverage mutual manpower development, underscoring the corporation’s dedication to developing skilled railway professionals.
The NRC boss also revealed that the Corporation is aggressively optimising Nigeria’s railway assets by collaborating with state governments under its “Railing with the states” by reactivating and putting to use its narrow gauge lines, bringing train services closer to the people.
Earlier, Dr. Olagunju commended Dr. Opeifa for transforming the NRC since his appointment noting that the Offa community with the blessing of their traditional ruler looks forward to the return of train operations, a service enjoyed for over 113 years.
In a related development, Dr. Opeifa lauded the Women In Logistics And Transportation (WILAT) for their dedication to professionalism in the sector.
Addressing WILAT members who visited him, he urged them to explore investment opportunities in passenger and freight rail services, taking advantage of new provisions in the amended NRC Act that allow for massive private sector participation.
He pointed out that investors could provide locomotives, coaches and or cargo wagons to operate on NRC lines, with NRC ready to grant Track Access licences for operations just like Lagos State is leveraging this through the Red Line Lagos Metro and CCECC Nigeria Limited for cargo.
Speaking earlier, WILAT Chairperson , Khadijat Shabi congratulated Dr. Opeifa and invited him to their annual event scheduled to July 31st at the Oriental Hotel.
She noted that since its establishment in 2010, WILAT has grown to 28 countries, ensuring women remain at the forefront of logistics and multimodal transportation management.
Railway
NRC, 5 tertiary institutions sign railway skill acquisition pact
NRC, 5 tertiary institutions sign railway skill acquisition pact
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with five tertiary institutions for advanced skills acquisition to deepen railway technology capacity and reduce reliance on costly foreign training,
The MoU was signed with Yaba College of Technology (Lagos), Kwara State Polytechnic (Ilorin), Federal Polytechnic (Offa), Kaduna Polytechnic (Kaduna), and Trinity University (Lagos).
The agreement is also expected to foster collaborative research, technology transfer, and joint training programmes between the NRC and the participating schools, according to a statement from corporation.
Managing Director of NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, described the MoU as a “win-win situation for the nation,” noting it would empower both industry’s workers and students of the institutions through practical training in railway technology, logistics engineering, digital systems, and locomotive maintenance.
“This is not just about skill acquisition. It is about staff development, breaking the ceiling of promotion stagnation, and expanding opportunities for formal education in railway-related fields,” Opeifa said.
He said the collaboration would also make the corporation’s advanced equipment and facilities accessible to students and researchers, while allowing retiring NRC staff to offer their experience through academic engagement as guest lecturers.
While foreign training will still be pursued where necessary, the NRC boss stressed that the local initiative will significantly cut training costs and improve local capacity. “If we can offer that knowledge here, there will be no need to travel abroad. That’s huge savings for the country,” he added.
The Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Dr. Kadir Oluwatoyin, lauded the move, describing it as aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “This will provide hands-on exposure to our students, internship opportunities, and sabbatical options for staff. It is a bold and commendable move,” he said.
His counterpart at Kwara State Polytechnic, Dr. Abdul Mohammed, noted that the partnership would reduce dependence on expatriates and promote job creation in the long term.
“Once the programme is fully developed, we will have a pool of local talents capable of sustaining the rail industry—home and abroad,” he said.
Railway
Three suspects arrested in Bauchi over intercepted stolen railway slippers
Three suspects arrested in Bauchi over intercepted stolen railway slippers
The Mining Team of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intercepted a trailer loaded with railway slippers in Bauchi State.
The slippers were hidden beneath sacks of sawdust.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, disclosed this in a statement.
The statement was issued by the Deputy Director, Public Relations, at the NRC, Mr Yakub Mahmood.
Opeifa confirmed that three suspects were arrested and that the vehicle and stolen items are now in the NSCDC custody for further investigation.
“The biggest heist in recent times. The NRC Police Command confronted economic saboteurs targeting railway assets nationwide,” he said.
He added that the Nigerian Railway Police and NSCDC have made several arrests, with materials recovered across Bauchi, Kano, Kwara and Gombe states.
This is the biggest heist in recent times. The NRC Police Command confronted economic saboteurs targeting railway assets nationwide,” he said.
He added that the Nigerian Railway Police and NSCDC had made several arrests and recovered a lot of materials across Bauchi, Kano, Kwara and Gombe states.
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