The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has fixed the beginning of second quarter 2025 for full operations of its cargo train movement from Lagos to Kaduna Inland Dry Port.

This was disclosed in a video clip shared on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the NRC on Saturday.
Managing Director of the NRC, stated in the video that while logistical operations had been put in place, some non-logistical issues needed to be addressed to ensure the seamless movement of goods via both narrow and standard gauge rail lines.
“There are little issues which are not related to logistics that needed to be cleared out.
However, bearing all circumstances, we are determined that the Nigerian Railway Corporation will ensure that the movement of goods along both narrow and standard rail lines is at maximum. “So, we are committed to ensuring that the movement of goods from Lagos to this dry port is achieved somewhere at the beginning of the second quarter,” Opeifa said.
He added, “We believe that all other issues related to other agencies of government would have been resolved and working with them should be able to ramp up, not to 70% but to 100%.”
Managing Director of Inland Containers Nigeria Limited, Omotayo Dada, also featured in the video and expressed optimism that within a few quarters, productivity at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port would increase significantly.
“We are optimistic that within a couple of quarters, before the year runs out, productivity would even increase by about 70%,” Dada said.
The Kaduna Inland Dry Port, commissioned in 2018, was established as a major logistics hub for exports, particularly agricultural products.
However, it has been operating below capacity, handling fewer containers than initially expected.
Over the years, container movement between Apapa Port and the Kaduna Inland Dry Port has been intermittently suspended for various reasons. Notably, in September 2020, operations were halted due to the rehabilitation of railway tracks, disrupting freight transport.
In a broader effort to improve freight connectivity between the southwestern seaports and inland regions, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved a $45.3 million contract for a feasibility study and engineering design of a new rail corridor.
The planned alignment will extend from Badagry Deep Sea Port through Tin Can, Apapa, and Lekki Seaports, reaching Ijebu-Ode and Kajola, where it will integrate with the Lagos-Kano-Maradi Railway Modernization Project.

NRC resumes Apapa-Ibadan freight rail service, operating three times weekly

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and APM Terminals Apapa have relaunched the Apapa-Ibadan standard gauge freight rail service, operating on a fixed schedule with departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Running between the Lagos Port Complex and the NRC Freight Yard in Moniya, Ibadan, the service provides a rail alternative for container transport, easing road congestion.

The relaunch follows a partnership between NRC and APM Terminals Apapa to enhance cargo turnaround, streamline evacuations, and expand rail use for exports.

Speaking at the launch, NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, emphasized the longstanding collaboration between NRC and APM Terminals in container movement across Nigeria, previously relying on the narrow-gauge line to Kaduna and Kano, as reported by Channels Television.

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The service will operate on a structured schedule, with each trip transporting up to 35 wagons—equivalent to 35 forty-foot containers or 70 twenty-foot containers.

“The newly launched service will operate on a fixed schedule, with train departures from Apapa on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Each trip will transport up to 35 wagons, carrying either 35 forty-foot containers or 70 twenty-foot containers,” the report read in part. 

Chief Commercial Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi, affirmed the three-times-weekly schedule, noting that previous inconsistencies in rail operations had made cargo planning challenging for customers.

“With our revamped service, we now offer a reliable and structured schedule, departing three times a week, ensuring efficient cargo movement from Apapa to Ibadan and back,” she said. 

NRC resumes Apapa-Ibadan freight rail service, operating three times weekly

NRC in multiple cargo train launches on Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has embarked on multiple cargo train movements from Lagos to Ibadan using reliable private sector firms as part of measures to boost train operations and shore up its revenue.
Two different freight trains have been launched this week and each is expected to move from Lagos to Ibadan axis three times every week on the standard gauge line.
On Monday, the corporation in collaboration with APM Terminals, Apapa resumed the Lagos-Ibadan cargo train with 35 containers departing the Lagos Port container terminal for Ibadan, Oyo State.
A day earlier, the Bueno Logistics with the support of the NRC had pioneered the rail transportation of gypsum, moving 23 wagons of the product from Lagos for a cement company at Papalanto, Ogun State.

Speaking on Monday during the re-launch of the Lagos-Ibadan cargo train on the standard gauge rail, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said the train haulage would take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
He said each train trip would move 35 wagons of 35 by 40ft or 35 wagons of 70 by 20ft containers or a mixture.
He said, “I am delighted to officially welcome you to the flag-off of container movement from Apapa to Moniya in Ibadan on the standard gauge rail.
“Though NRC and APM Terminals have a long history of doing business of container traffic to places in the hinterland of Nigeria such as Kaduna, Kano, it is mainly on the narrow gauge lines.
“However, container traffic movement by rail on the standard gauge in and out of APM Terminals to Moniya freight yard in Ibadan commenced on September 2023 with the likes of Bueno Logistics and Transco Africa Logistics blazing the trail among other customers using the single transitional line in APMT.
“Two additional lines are at an advanced stage of completion in APMT which will bring the total lines within the APMT standard gauge corridor to three lines.
“While this milestone event marks the commencement of container traffic expansion on the standard gauge rail Line from APMT Terminal to Moniya Ibadan Freight yard, this will facilitate the import and export of commodities with adequate convenience and hitch-free vehicle movement.”
Opeifa stressed the commitment of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu to the revitalisation and modernisation project of the NRC for efficient rail system.
“As part of the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr President, this is one of the surest ways to address the cost of goods, the standard of living and multi-dimensional poverty,” he added.
Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, said the resumption of rail haulage would lead to the decongestion of the port terminals.
“We at the NSC understand that rail transport happens to be the cheapest and safest when it comes to trade,” he stated.
Representing APM Terminals, the terminal’s Chief Commercial Officer, Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi, highlighted the improvement made to the latest cargo train service.
She said, “The new schedule ensures trains depart three times a week—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays— providing businesses with greater predictability and efficiency.
“Unlike the previous system, where trains departed only when fully loaded, the structured timetable allows customers to plan shipments in advance.
“Additionally, payments for the service have been streamlined, with customers now paying exclusively to APM Terminals Apapa, which will facilitate transactions with all relevant stakeholders.”
Speaking on the gypsum movement by train, in a post, Managing Director of Bueno Logistics Limited, Mazi Jetson Nwankwo, said the project commenced on Sunday February 9, 2025 with 23 wagons.
He explained that each of the wagons could accommodate 50-60 tonnes.
The train, he said, took off from ENL Apapa Port and headed for delivery at the Papalanto cement firm.
He said, “History is being made today as Bueno Logistics Limited, a pacesetter in rail-based logistics business, in collaboration with the NRC pioneered the movement of gypsum using the new standard gauge railway system from ENL Apapa Port to Papalanto, one of the leading cement companies in the country.”
“The train is departing with 23 wagons and each wagon takes 50-60 tonnes. And we will deliver within two and a half hours.”
“The train is safe, delivers in bulk and at a pocket-friendly rate,” Nwankwo added.