Nigeria’s Railway system evolving, major overhaul underway – Opeifa

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, says Nigeria’s railway sector is undergoing a major transformation aimed at strengthening national integration, boosting economic activities and improving mobility across the country. Opeifa spoke recently during separate appearances on TVC News program Politics Tonight and Channels Television program Sunrise Daily. According to him, […]

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, says Nigeria’s railway sector is undergoing a major transformation aimed at strengthening national integration, boosting economic activities and improving mobility across the country.

Opeifa spoke recently during separate appearances on TVC News program Politics Tonight and Channels Television program Sunrise Daily.

According to him, the federal government has invested billions of dollars in rail development over the past decade, resulting in the construction of nearly 1,000 kilometers of railway lines since 2015.

He said the modernisation of the sector gathered momentum with the introduction of the standard gauge rail system, which he described as a long overdue upgrade of Nigeria’s aging rail infrastructure.

Opeifa noted that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari played a key role in revitalising the railway sector through the completion and commissioning of major projects, including the Abuja–Kaduna Railway, the Warri–Itakpe Railway, the Abuja Rail Mass Transit and the Lagos–Ibadan Railway, while work continues on the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri rail corridor.

He added that the recent constitutional amendment moving railways from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List has opened the door for deeper collaboration between the federal government and sub-national governments.

According to him, states such as Lagos State, Kano State, Ogun State, and Plateau State are already working with the federal government to expand rail infrastructure.

Opeifa described railways as a critical national asset, stressing that the security of states is closely linked to the safety of transportation corridors.

He therefore called on state governments to support the Railway Police, which currently operates in 26 states, and urged communities along rail lines to help safeguard railway assets from vandalism.

On operations, he announced that the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service has expanded its schedule, increasing trips to three on selected days to meet rising passenger demand.

He added that locomotive Loco 2701, which was previously damaged in an accident, has been successfully repaired by NRC engineers, while additional operational redundancies have been introduced to strengthen service reliability.

Addressing concerns about ticket racketeering, Opeifa said the corporation has introduced multiple passenger verification checks at stations and boarding points, a measure he said has significantly curtailed the practice.

He noted that railway development is highly capital intensive but stressed that governments around the world treat rail as social infrastructure because of its role in driving economic growth.

According to him, Nigeria’s railway system is gradually evolving from a purely social service to a major economic driver.

He also highlighted the tourism and entertainment potential of the railway system, noting that the corporation is exploring initiatives that could unlock opportunities in the sector.

“Our focus is to ensure that every kobo invested in the railway sector delivers value to Nigerians while positioning rail transport as a catalyst for national development,” he said.

Opeifa assured that the corporation remains committed to transparency, improved safety, and the protection of railway infrastructure across the country.