New Port Harcourt – Maiduguri rail network ready soon, says minister

Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, says the nee Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line will be ready soon.

He said the rail project would be completed on time and meet the highest international standards.

According to him, the rail network is a clear testament to the current administration’s commitment to infrastructural development, economic growth, and national cohesion.

This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Monday by the Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to the minister, Jamilu Ja’afaru.

The minister said upon completion of the rail line, Nigerians would enjoy good trade, access market, and business places easily, and also boost agricultural production and its movement.

The minister noted that the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line is not just a transportation project but a transformation project.

He said: “It is about the movement of goods, people, and opportunities. It is about connecting Nigeria and driving growth.

“The 1,657km rail network, cutting across 13 states; Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Adamawa promises to unlock unprecedented benefits.

“In Rivers State, the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line will boost the state’s status as a major hub for commerce and trade, connecting it to key economic centres across the country.

“Abia, known for its vibrant commerce and industry, will enjoy improved business linkages, bolstering local industries and empowering small and medium-sized enterprises.

“The line will also stimulate agricultural productivity in states like Benue, known as Nigeria’s “food basket”, providing farmers with better access to markets, reducing post-harvest losses, and fostering rural development while Nasarawa and Plateau will reap the benefits in terms of easier movement of mineral resources, thereby boosting mining activities.

“In the North-East, atates like Bauchi, Gombe, and Borno will benefit significantly as the rail line would facilitate the quick and cost-effective movement of goods and people, fostering social integration, economic growth, and the much-needed post-insurgency reconstruction in the region.”

He added that Akwa Ibom and Cross River would witness enhanced tourism potential, with easier access to their rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes while Ebonyi and Adamawa states would also benefit from improved trade and commerce, fostered by the efficient transportation of goods and services.”

E-ticketing formally takes off on Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe rail lines today

Passengers travelling on popular Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri trains, both standard gauge, will henceforth pay for their tickets online as the electronic ticketing system formally commences today, Wednesday November 1, 2023.

Ahead of today’s rollout, the launch of the e-ticketing for the two new rail lines took place on Monday in Abuja with Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, expressing excitement about the innovative payment system.

This came after a trial run of the project for about a week.

The minister assured Nigerians that their data is safe because the booking would be done in a government-owned website.

The electronic ticketing contract was awarded earlier this year by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to two different companies for the Lagos-Ibadan route and the Warri-Itakpe route at a total cost of N1.96bn.

Like the Abuja-Kaduna train, Nigerians going on any of the two trains will henceforth be required to log on to the website of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and book their ticket using their National Identification Number (NIN) to purchase their tickets.

During the Monday launch in Abuja, Mr Pushrar demonstrating how to book ticket online, stated that a customer could only be allowed to purchase not more than three tickets, one for himself and he must provide the NIN of the two others he is purchasing for to avoid ticket racketeering.

Chairman of Fane International Consults, Mr Olufisayo Ishola, said customers must purchase tickets 24 hours before departure and there is no refund of money if the customer fails to show up.

He said once the ticket has been booked online, the customer only has five minutes to make payment, failing to do that within that time will lead to the cancellation of the ticket, noting that there is a N100 extra inconvenience fee by booking he said

Also, there will be point-of-sale machines for those who want to purchase at the station. The contractors explained that the machines for ticket purchases will be linked with the system to track payments and ensure no racketeering.

According to him, there will also be a verification point before boarding to ensure that the data of customers matches that of the ticket holder.

Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, also said the e-ticketing platform would increase revenue generation for the Federal Government.

He said the Federal Government had given the management of the e-ticketing for the Warri-Itakpe and Lagos–Ibadan routes to Ticketing Solutions Limited and Global Software and Digital Solution respectively for 10 years.

“I am happy about this project; apart from the fact that e-ticketing will end issues of ticket racketeering, it will also increase revenue from the routes.

“Already, last week, revenue on Warri-Itakpe increased from N3m to N4m and will increase further,” he said.

Updated: Lagos-Ibadan trains set to go 80km/h, NRC warns traders around track 

* Railway workers caught on camera collecting money get dismissal verdict

Trains on travelling on Lagos-Ibadan standard guage rail line will soon double their speed from 40 kilometres per hour to 80km/h.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, disclosed this in interview with Television Continental (TVC) and warned all traders and other people still operating or playing around the track to stay clear.

Okhiria also announced that the electronic ticketing (e-ticketing) on the standard gauge lines would commence next week.

He said trains had operated on the Lagos-Ibadan line at 40km/h since it was inaugurated in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, the designed speed of the track is 150km and that NRC plans to gradually move to 120/h.

Okhiria stated, “We are going to be increasing our speed, especially within Lagos.

“I’m also using this opportunity to tell our brothers and sisters playing on the track to stop it.

“Right now, we are doing 40 kilometres. We are going to be moving to 80 kilometres because the tracks are designed for 150km/h but we won’t mind going gradually to 120km per hour, especially within Lagos.

“People should be aware of that and those who cross the track should be aware of that and they should obey the level crossing lights and obey our signal men.

“We have gone out to start making public announcements already at Oshodi, Yaba, Mushin and Agege, telling them that the speed of the train is going to go up as we cannot continue to short-change ourselves if the train is designed to run at 150km; it is not a place to trade.”

Okhiria also spoke on the introduction of e-ticketing on the route and others.

He said, “The e-ticketing is the way to go; it is the way to secure our money and investments because as you buy your ticket, it goes to the government coffers directly.

“We have it on Abuja-Kaduna train and we are also going to have it on Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri. By the end of the month, our passengers should start using it.”

Okhiria disclosed that some NRC workers caught on camera collecting fares for a ride in the train in Ibadan had been recommended for dismissal in accordance with the extant rules of the corporation.