Rebuilding Nigeria’s Railway Future: From Constraints to Greater Possibilities

Dr. Kayode Opeifa

Every morning, thousands of Nigerians traveling between Abuja and Kaduna ask the same question: Will I get a train ticket today?

We at the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) understand the frustration. More than 5,000 intending passengers compete for the limited seats available on the corridor, while the current service accommodates only a fraction of that demand.

We hear the complaints about tickets selling out quickly. We see the disappointment of passengers who log on to the booking platform only to discover that seats have been exhausted. We know that some have had to alter their plans or seek alternative means of transportation. These concerns are legitimate, and we cannot wish them away.

But Nigerians also need to understand the operational reality. Demand for rail transportation has grown considerably, particularly on the Abuja–Kaduna corridor, while available capacity has not kept pace. At different periods, three train sets were deployed on the route, providing substantially more daily trips. Today, one operational rake is serving the corridor, placing considerable pressure on available seats.

In the last three months, NRC management has added three coaches to the operating rake: one Executive Coach with 28 seats and two Standard Coaches with 88 seats each. The additions have increased the rake to nine coaches and created 204 extra seats for passengers on each journey.

It is an important step, but we recognise that more needs to be done. We are working with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to address the larger requirements for restoring and expanding train services. We remain confident that the necessary interventions will be made.

Improving the railway, however, is not only about adding coaches and trains. It is also about improving the passenger experience. Our immediate priority is to ensure that critical facilities at stations along the Abuja–Kaduna corridor including air-conditioning systems, elevators, escalators and lifts are fully functional. Passengers should not have to choose between safety, reliability and comfort.

We are equally strengthening our ticketing and passenger-verification systems. Ticket racketeering remains a concern, and our responsibility is to ensure that available seats go to genuine passengers through a transparent and secure process.

But technology cannot solve a capacity problem. Ultimately, we need more operational trains, more coaches and more trips. The near completion of the Kano Mega Train Station along the Kaduna–Kano Railway Corridor represents more than the construction of another station. It offers a glimpse of the modern railway system Nigeria should have.

A railway station should not merely be a place where passengers board and alight. It should be a functional transportation hub designed around the needs, safety and dignity of the passenger. The Kaduna–Kano corridor is strategically important, linking major population centres and commercial communities while strengthening rail connectivity across northern Nigeria. The Kano station is therefore part of a broader vision of a railway capable of supporting passenger mobility, freight movement and economic activity.

We know that Nigerians will judge us not by our promises but by their experience when they use our trains. There will be operational constraints, and there will be complaints. We must listen to them. But there is also progress.

Additional coaches are being deployed where possible. Maintenance is being prioritised. Station facilities are receiving attention. Ticketing systems are being strengthened, while our engineers and technical personnel continue to keep the railway moving under challenging circumstances.

Our responsibility is to make the best use of the resources entrusted to us, improve efficiency, protect railway assets and ensure that investment in the railway delivers value to Nigerians. For the passenger waiting at midnight to secure an Abuja–Kaduna ticket, these larger developments may seem distant. What matters is getting a seat.

That is why increasing capacity remains one of our most urgent priorities. The additional coaches are important steps. More coaches, more trains and more reliable services must follow.  The Kano Mega Train Station is another step towards the railway system we are building for the future.

We ask for the patience of our passengers, but we do not take that patience for granted.

We owe Nigerians results. And we will continue working with the federal government and other stakeholders to build a railway system that Nigerians can depend on not only today, but for generations to come.

Opeifa is the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.