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  • Abuja–Kaduna train derailment: Alkali, Opeifa rule out sabotage

    Abuja–Kaduna train derailment: Alkali, Opeifa rule out sabotage

    …apologise to journalists over ill treatment

    The Minister of Transportation, Saidu Ahmed Alkali, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Kayode Opeifa, have assured Nigerians that the Abuja–Kaduna rail service remains safe, dismissing speculation that last week’s train derailment on the corridor was the result of sabotage.

    Speaking to journalists at the State House over the weekend, the Minister said investigations into the incident are ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest that it was caused by an operational issue rather than any deliberate act.

    “We have fixed the point machine from here up to Kaduna, and since then, there has been no issue of derailment. For this incident, investigations are ongoing, and we don’t want to preempt the committee until it submits its report,” Alkali explained.

    A point machine, also known as a switch motor, is a critical component of railway infrastructure that enables trains to move from one track to another and secures the tracks in place.

    Modern systems are often fitted with sensors to confirm the positioning of the blades and ensure safe operations.

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    The Minister acknowledged that the country still grapples with recurring cases of vandalism of railway assets despite several arrests and prosecutions in recent years.

    He noted that the federal government, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, is finalising a comprehensive plan to bolster the protection of critical rail infrastructure.

    Alkali also hinted at ongoing procurement processes to extend rail connectivity from Warri to Ajaokuta and Abuja.

    On efforts to restore the Abuja–Kaduna corridor following the accident, Alkali disclosed that four of the ten derailed coaches had been successfully evacuated using specialised rail cranes, while work continued to remove the remaining coaches and repair the damaged section of the track.

    He assured commuters that every effort was being made to resume normal services as quickly and safely as possible.

    The incident has drawn attention to Nigeria’s broader rail safety challenges.

    Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveal that between 2020 and 2025, the country has recorded 188 train derailments.

    Significantly, 183 of these occurred in just a three-year span: 57 in 2020, 61 in 2021, and 65 in 2022, underscoring derailments as the most common type of railway accident in recent times.

    Observers have pointed to factors such as poor maintenance, ageing infrastructure, vandalism, and gaps in security as persistent problems for the rail sector.

    Responding to media reports that N30 billion was allocated in the 2023 federal budget for rail security, the Minister clarified that although such a proposal was presented, it was not captured in the final Appropriation Act.

    He, however, reiterated the government’s commitment to investing in new security measures, including advanced acoustic sensing systems to monitor and protect rail lines.

    On the issue of press access during the incident, NRC Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, apologised unreservedly to journalists, particularly to Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) reporter Comrade Ladi Bala, who was reportedly denied access to the accident scene.

    His apology followed a protest letter from the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), which had strongly condemned the harassment of its immediate past national chairperson.

    “If any journalist or medium felt excluded or not well treated at the accident scene, I take full responsibility and I sincerely apologise. We are committed to transparency and will continue to provide the press with access and information as events unfold,” Opeifa said.

    He also addressed concerns about safety, noting: “Nationwide, rail tracks are constantly targeted by vandals and scrap syndicates. But with specific reference to this incident, the track showed no signs of sabotage or structural failure. Our initial findings indicate it was an operational accident at a junction point.”

    Opeifa confirmed that all 618 passengers on board the derailed train were safely evacuated adding that twenty sustained minor injuries, while seven were hospitalised but have since been discharged.

    The NRC, he added, has borne all medical expenses for the affected passengers.

    The recent incident has rekindled debates over the safety of Nigeria’s railways, which have experienced a surge in patronage since the federal government launched new standard gauge lines such as the Abuja–Kaduna and Lagos–Ibadan corridors.

    As the NBS figures highlight, however, ensuring consistent safety across the network remains a challenge.

    For now, both the Ministry of Transportation and the NRC maintain that the Abuja–Kaduna line remains secure, with efforts underway to restore full operations and implement long-term measures to guarantee the safety of passengers and rail assets.

  • We are investigating train accident, says Opeifa

    We are investigating train accident, says Opeifa

    The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said investigations into the Abuja-Kaduna Train Incident would be thorough.

    There was no casualty recorded during the accident. 

    The Managing Director said he had taken responsibility for the incident, assuring that there will be improved services.

    Opeifa, who spoke on Channels Television, said the ongoing investigation would be thorough and transparent.

    He said, “Beyond apologising to Nigerians, I want to state clearly—as the Managing Director and Chief Executive—I take full responsibility.

    “When it comes to safety, there is no room for indifference. Once something like this happens, the chief executive must own it—and I do.”

    Opeifa disclosed that four passengers sustained injuries.

    He said, “Coming to the fatality and the casualties, there was no fatality. We thank God. That was a near miss because for this kind of accident or incident, you see some level of fatality, but we thank God for this.

    “And for those who were injured, four are serious, and another two or so were discharged immediately, and we will follow up on those that might still be in the hospital.

    “I don’t know as of this moment, we’ll follow up. So, we’ll also follow up with the remaining 618 people on the train because of the post-traumatic experience. We have the full contacts and we’ll do that.”

    He, however, said that though the incident should not have happened, the NRC would ensure that there was no recurrence.

    “I want to assure Nigerians that an incident like this is not expected, is not prayed for, should not be happening, but where it does, it is to bring out the best in us.

    “And I assure Nigerians that just as we are doing currently on the Warri-Itakpe, which he (the analyst) also mentioned, we shut down the Warri-Itakpe (route) three weeks ago.

    Read Also: Kayode Opeifa and NRC’s’ Morning Yet on Creation Day’

    “I ordered the shutdown for safety reasons, and if you see the level of work the men have been doing on the track, cutting it off and replacing it is to make sure things like this don’t happen,” he added.

    On whether there was any suspicion around sabotage regarding the incident, Opeifa said, “It would be premature for me to speak on that because that will be undermining the authority that is meant to do the investigation. But I want to assure Nigerians that our tracks are safe from vandals and terrorists.

    “This particular track is being monitored by the military. You can see that immediately it (the derailment) happened, within five, 10 minutes, the helicopter was there hovering.

    “The Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian army are all along this corridor, and I think, for the record, we’ve not had any issue of banditry, terrorism attack along that corridor.

    “But you can’t wish anything away. The investigation will tell us what happened, and I wouldn’t want to comment because I’m a party to the investigation.”

    The Managing Director said that NSIB would have to declare the site open for reconstruction before the corporation would do a safety audit to determine when services on the route would be reopened.

    He added, “The first thing that will happen is that the NSIB will determine when the site is open for reconstruction.

    “So, from the time they tell us that it’s ready for reconstruction, I don’t see us spending more than 30 days. So it depends on when they declare the site open for reconstruction.”

    The incident occurred on Tuesday along the Kaduna corridor, shortly after the train left Abuja at about 11 am, en route to Kaduna.

    A passenger described the scene as chaotic, with people scrambling to safety.

    The NRC suspended train operations on the Abuja-Kaduna route till further notice.

    Opeifa had told reporters in that some technical staff of the corporation, alongside the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and other relevant agencies, were on the ground at the train derailment site carrying out an investigation.

    He also dismissed claims that the trains were not in good condition, adding that the refund of the ticket fees had been initiated for all passengers on board.

  • Opeifa visits LAMATA, pledges stronger collaboration on efficient train service

    Opeifa visits LAMATA, pledges stronger collaboration on efficient train service

    Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has visited facilities of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) with a pledge to deepen collaboration on modern rail services.

    Opeifa, who inspected the Blue Line control centre at Marina, the Independent Power Plant at Iganmu and the Red Line station at Oyingbo with LAMATA Managing Director, Abimbola Akinajo, said the NRC would adopt lessons from Lagos.

    “We are here to learn from Lagos State and LAMATA in the areas of security, energy, crowd control, ticketing and frequency of operation,” he said.

    He disclosed that the NRC would soon migrate payments on the narrow gauge to the Cowry Card used on Lagos trains, to “ensure seamless movement of passengers from the national rail corridor to the state service with the same system.”

    Read Also: Kayode Opeifa and NRC’s’ Morning Yet on Creation Day’

    Opeifa said the corporation plans to power its trains with electricity or gas within five years. “Some of our engines can use Liquefied Natural Gas. That is one of the reasons we came to see what LAMATA has done,” he explained.

    Engr Akinajo said the Blue Line would mark two years of uninterrupted service on September 4, recording 98 per cent uptime and 200 days of steady power supply from the dedicated IPP.

    She restated LAMATA’s commitment to intermodal transport under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus agenda, adding that the agency “is willing to deepen its partnership with NRC in the overall interest of Lagosians.”

  • CNG trains will slash costs, boost economy, says Opeifa

    CNG trains will slash costs, boost economy, says Opeifa

    Nigeria’s railway sector is set for a cost-saving turnaround as the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) teams up with the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) to convert its diesel-powered locomotives to cleaner, cheaper Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

    The Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, made this known during a media round in Lagos, where he outlined the new direction of the Corporation under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Speaking at the Mobolaji Johnson Station in Yaba shortly after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PCNGI over the weekend, Opeifa described the CNG initiative as a “game changer” that will drastically cut running costs and reposition the rail sector for growth.

    “When the president announced the subsidy removal on May 29, 2023, he had a vision for a gas revolution,” Opeifa said. “This partnership with PICNG is not just radical—it’s tremendous. It will cut our diesel costs by 70%, making rail transport more affordable and sustainable.”

    The NRC, which currently spends billions annually on diesel for locomotives, generators, and stations, is banking on a dual-fuel model that blends 70% Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) with 30% diesel. A successful proof-of-concept has already demonstrated viability, with potential fuel cost savings projected at over 60%, in line with federal projections.

    Opeifa stressed that the shift to CNG would have a ripple effect on the economy by lowering transport costs, stimulating freight movement, and reducing inflationary pressure. “When we cut costs, we don’t just save money—we deliver economic benefits across the board,” he said.

    The MoU with PCNGI, signed to mark President Tinubu’s second year in office, includes plans to establish CNG conversion centres at NRC facilities nationwide. The agreement will also leverage the NRC’s engineering expertise and expand technical training for young Nigerians.

    Training schools in Ibadan, Enugu, Kafanchan, and Zaria will embed CNG conversion into their curriculum, with three-year programmes focused on developing a workforce ready for Nigeria’s energy transition. “Our engineers, including women, rebuilt a failed engine in just three days,” Opeifa proudly noted.

    In addition to conversion works, NRC coaches will serve as mobile CNG awareness platforms. Pilot stations in gas-rich states like Oyo will distribute gas to commuters and small businesses, helping to deepen public adoption of clean energy alternatives.

    The transition is also in line with Nigeria’s emission reduction goals, as the transport sector remains a key contributor to carbon emissions. “We’re not just cutting costs; we’re building a greener Nigeria,” Opeifa said.

    The NRC boss also used the media round to provide updates on ongoing infrastructure projects. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the federal government has completed key sections such as the Port Harcourt–Aba line and extended the standard gauge from Lagos to Apapa Port, with plans to reach Tin Can Port soon.

    New standard gauge corridors, including Lagos–Abuja and Port Harcourt–Maiduguri, are being mapped, alongside state connectivity plans involving Akwa Ibom, Edo, Jigawa, and others. “This government is the biggest investor in railway infrastructure. In the last decade alone, over 1,000km of new lines have been built, more than what we saw between 1960 and 2000,” he said.

    Read Also: 175 new CNG stations coming, says Pi-CNG boss

    Freight operations have also improved. Goods from Apapa Port are now moving seamlessly to Ibadan and beyond. He cited the AKK gas pipeline project as an example, where massive pipes were hauled from Warri to the North via rail, avoiding the risks of road transport.

    However, the NRC is still grappling with persistent vandalism and infrastructure sabotage. Opeifa lamented the destruction of tracks in Lagos and washouts in Minna, urging Nigerians to see railway infrastructure as public property. “These are national assets, not scrap metal,” he said.

    Despite the hurdles, he remained upbeat. Strategic partnerships with state governments—such as Lagos, Plateau, and Kaduna—under the Railing with the States initiative are helping to optimise track usage. In Lagos, the Red Line project is already sharing federal track space with the Lagos–Ibadan line.

  • Activist, politician, administrator Opeifa @ 60

    Activist, politician, administrator Opeifa @ 60

    Since his foray into teaching at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, and deep involvement in human rights movement during the military era, Dr. Kayode Opeifa has placed his hands on the plough of service and he has not looked back.

    In those days, being a lecturer was quite challenging. The pay was poor and brain drain hit the university system. But many lecturers endured; teaching, researching, publishing and serving the community.

    Opeifa, young and dynamic, became an activist-teacher, daring the establishment and the power-loaded soldiers. At 29, he was privileged to serve as a member of the University Senate and Council, showcasing his leadership and academic prowess.

    Whether he was prepared for a life of struggle for society by his family background could not be ascertained. But, his late father, Chief Adeyinka Opeifa, former old Mushin Council Chairman and Asiwaju of Awori, also carried the battle cry for welfare, inclusion, greater prosperity and sense of belonging on behalf of his vast kindred in Lagos State, who are descendants of the legendary Ogunfunmilire.

    But the younger Opeifa’s focus, like many unsung heroes of that time, was how to terminate military rule by the votes of bloody civilians.

    The field of activism was very slippery and dangerous for many determined youths who carried the emblems of Campaign for Democracy, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) and Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) of Ayo Obe. The crowning of their struggles was the titanic ‘June 12’ fight that heralded the current Fourth Republic. It was coordinated by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).

    Opeifa, who subsequently left the shores of Nigeria, returned to become a politician. Unlike many politicians without a second address, he has never embraced politics as an occupation, but a vocation and platform for service. It is a lesson that the youths who are in a hurry to get power should emulate. Before venturing into politics, a depth of experience is required because governance is not a tea party.

    The key is tutelage and gradual ascension through the hierarchical ladder, to the extent that the individual is now said to have paid his dues on account of his vision, robust ideas, age, loyalty, team spirit, learning and contributions as a toiler in the vineyard of politics.

    At 60, what Opeifa celebrates is a milestone that crowns a distinguished career in public service, transportation reform, and youth mentorship. From academia to high-level government appointments, his journey reflects a deep commitment to improving governance, tackling infrastructural deficits and empowering the people.

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    Born on May 21, 1965, Opeifa earned a B.Sc in Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin in 1986. It was in that school he met Dr. Samuel Adejare, former federal lawmaker from Agege Constituency.  He later completed his postgraduate studies. By the time he returned to LASU to earn a doctorate degree, some of the students he taught had become professors.

    Although he eyed the House of Representatives seat in his Agege Constituency in 2007, the coast was not clear. He exhibited discipline, decorum and fidelity to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), on which platform Babatunde Fashola (SAN) rode to the State House in Alausa, Ikeja, as governor.

    Sixteen years later, when he sought for the senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos West, he was also asked to step down. He obeyed the directive of the party leadership without a slight protest, campaigned for the candidate, Dr. Idiat Adebule, and took solace in the victory of the party.

    There is a lesson in this consistent style of deferring to the party, flowing from the advice of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In his days – and many jostled for few elective slots as of now – he counselled against rocking the boat or fighting the platform, saying that if the personal interest gives way for the triumph of group interest, accomodation would be found for the individual within the larget, collective interest of the party.

    An egg head, Opeifa has always contributed his robust ideas, borne of study, experience and exposure, to internal strategy sessions that have strengthened the party, whenever they are sought. He has always maintained his links with the academia, Labour, youths and students, artisans and peasants, women groups, community development associations and the media. These strata offer a level of information critical to the rechannelling of strategies in competitive electioneering.

    Highly gregarious, the astute politician and public servant has often built networks and strengthened the frontiers of influence and cooperation with the low and the mighty. Self-confident, brilliant and vocal, he trades in logic; always reasoning, willing to learn, but never yielding to dogmas. A scientist, he is a lover of empirical analysis. Yet, he recognises that the political field is a different ball game. The law of political behaviour cannot be easily formulated because politics involves human variables which are largely inconstant.

    Opeifa was appointed Special Adviser on Transportation. In 2011, he became the Commissioner for Transportation, where he implemented significant reforms to modernise Lagos’s traffic management systems. He supervised  the restructuring of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the introduction of other novel policies that improved public transportation. 

    In 2017, he was appointed Transport Secretary for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), further extending his influence on Nigeria’s transportation policies.

    Opeifa’s expertise was further recognised at the national level when he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Presidential Task Team to address the Apapa port congestion in Lagos. He contributed to easing the notorious traffic gridlock.

    In January, President Bola Tinubu appointed him as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), where he is expected to modernise and reposition the infrastructure as a critical component of the nation’s economic development. 

    The appointment appointment was based on merit. He had initially served as a board member and his experience in the sector was unassailable. The workers and the two dominant unions – the Railway Workers Association and the Senior Staff Association – perceive the versatile NRC MD as a comrade in pursuing a well-ordered, egalitarian society.

    Before his assumption of office, the unions had given a strike notice. It was called off in honour of the Comrade.

    From its moribund state, the rail sector was about being revived fully under the Buhari government when insecurity, particularly the onslaught by bandits, threatened to reverse the gains. Out of fear, Nigerians momentarily shunned its services. By the time the sector was rising from the nightmare, the tenure of the administration expired.

    The lot to consummate the revival fell on Opeifa, the transportation curator. He has been up and doing in this regard. He is now trying to upgrade the outdated railway system by rehabilitating old lines and expanding the facilities to improve connectivity. The goal is to boost commerce and foster anticipated economic integration.

    The public perception has been revived. This should be sustained by excellent service delivery. Opeifa is  erasing the ill-feelings about train services. Workers are being reorientaed as service providers who should be more reliable, punctual, and customer-friendly. There is a plan to replace dilapidated infrastructure, and there is synergy between the corporation and security agencies to ensure the safety of the trains and passengers.

    How to make the railway financially sustainable is priority. Now,  wastages are being curtailed. Loopholes should be plugged. There is no room for ticket racketeering. Those who indulge in the nefarious activities, particularly the smuggling of passengers into the train while the fares go to private pockets, risk losing their jobs. Only a very firm leadership can really avert that slide into corruption.

    Another huddle before Opeifa is expanding the revenue base without imposing extra burden on passangers. It may be too early to really assess the impact of the Opeifa leadership on the sector, which only contributed between two and three per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before he assumed the reins.

    Much is also expected of him as he seeks collaboration and partnership with the regional development agencies for the actualisation of the various regional rail systems and service master plans. If the public/private partnership is realistically explored, investors are likely to put their money, especially if there is a guarantee of an enabling environment 

    Opeifa plans to also make railway a tourist hub while also thinking of linking the routes to farms where agricultural products easily decay due to lack of canning system.

  • CILT confers fellowship award on NRC boss Opeifa

    CILT confers fellowship award on NRC boss Opeifa

    …seeks transport sector partnership

    The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria has conferred a prestigious Fellowship award on Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

    The recognition was bestowed during a courtesy visit to the NRC headquarters by a high-powered CILT delegation, led by its President and Chairman of Council, Mrs. Mfon Ekong Usoro.

    Mrs. Usoro, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), praised Dr. Opeifa for his contributions to the development of transportation and logistics in Nigeria, describing the NRC as a backbone of the nation’s transport infrastructure.

    She also reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to global standards, noting that CILT operates in over 133 countries and maintains a consistent international standard for training, curriculum, and professional certification to ensure its members remain globally competitive.

    “Our global curriculum undergoes periodic audits to maintain high standards, equipping members for success in logistics and transportation anywhere in the world,” Usoro said. 

    She also noted the Institute’s impact in securing international job placements and academic opportunities for its members, as well as its pivotal role in national transport policy advocacy.

    Usoro extended an offer of collaboration with the NRC in workforce development and capacity building to align the Corporation’s professionals with global best practices.

    In his response, Dr. Opeifa expressed gratitude for the honour and reaffirmed the NRC’s commitment to professionalism, workforce training, and enhancing Nigeria’s transport ecosystem.

    “We value the work of CILT and recognize the importance of equipping our people with the right skills and knowledge. As custodians of Nigeria’s rail transport sector, we must empower our professionals to lead and innovate,” Opeifa said.

    He praised the competence of the NRC’s local engineers and technical teams, noting their ability to lay tracks, manage rolling stock, and refurbish infrastructure to meet the country’s needs.

    Dr. Opeifa also shared insights into the Corporation’s strategic initiative, Railing with the States, aimed at encouraging state governments to invest in rail infrastructure within their territories. 

    Read Also: Shettima, Opeifa extol Tinubu’s courage, wisdom

    According to him, the initiative has already attracted interest from multiple states seeking to revitalize legacy train routes and expand rail access to citizens.

    On cargo services, the NRC boss announced a “freight revolution” marked by the activation of three new cargo lines connecting Apapa Port to Ibadan. Plans are also underway to extend cargo operations to Ilorin and other parts of the country.

    “As trade facilitators, we’ve reinvigorated port-to-hinterland freight services. Today, it is common to see cargo movement simultaneously on both narrow and standard gauge tracks,” he said.

    On passenger services, Dr. Opeifa reiterated the Corporation’s determination to improve customer experience, especially on the narrow gauge lines. Enhancements are underway to upgrade coach ambience and shift public perception of train travel as a viable, safe, and comfortable alternative.

    In a symbolic gesture of partnership, he offered CILT Nigeria the use of the NRC’s state-of-the-art conference coach for future board meetings. “You can charter our conference coach for a mobile board meeting between Lagos and Abeokuta or Ibadan. It promises a unique experience and a scenic journey through the heart of southwestern Nigeria,” he said.

  • Opeifa to vandals, iron smelters, traders: stay clear of railway properties

    Opeifa to vandals, iron smelters, traders: stay clear of railway properties

    Iron vandals and traders of stolen irons have been warned to stay clear and desist from their incessant attacks on railway irons and sleepers as anyone caught would be treated as “economic saboteurs”. 

    Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, gave the warning while fielding questions from some reporters in his office.

    He said: “Let me warn in the stiffest language all those involved in removing, stealing our properties, or trading along the train tracks across the country. The Nigerian Police have been mandated to go after these saboteurs who are bent on destroying the nation’s economy.’’

    He also warned smelting foundries colluding with buyers of stolen iron materials to  stop or be dealt with.

    Read Also: Give it to the EFCC

    Addressing traders who have converted the train tracks to markets, Opeifa said the tracks should be cleared of activities to prevent accidents.

    “Train tracks are not supposed to be converted to markets, please leave our tracks, to avoid arrests by security agents,” he said.

    On the incidents of vandals, he recalled that men of the Nigerian Railway Police Command (NRPC) in Kafanchan in Kachia Local Government of Kaduna State, had caught two vandals, while over 70 iron sleepers and other iron materials stolen from the railway tracks, found in two apartments were seized.

    Opeifa, who bemoaned the attacks on railway properties, said some people were caught cutting the narrow gauge tracks and attempting to make away with it.

    He said the NRC would treat any smelting foundry caught collaborating with these vandals as economic saboteurs.

    “We would not stop warning all those in the iron smelting business to stop patronising the vandals who specialises in removing our fixed stocks. Any rail track stolen and any iron sleepers removed is injurious to the average Nigerian because such has been responsible for train derailments which may put other innocent Nigerians’ lives in danger,” Opeifa added.

    He said the corporation would continue to leverage the success of the reactivated freight movement to keep all its lines busy as efforts are on to reopen abandoned routes especially on the Lagos to Kano “Western narrow” gauge lines for massive movements of cargoes across the country.

    The NRC boss said the reactivation of old lines such as Nguru, in Yobe State, Kaura and Idogo, in Ogun State among others would further reduce incidences of food scarcity as it would reduce transportation cost of moving farm produce from the farming hubs to the markets thereby reducing food scarcity and bring down the rate of inflation.

    According to him, other lines being worked upon are the abandoned Jos-Kuru line, adding that in a matter of months, the corporation would also achieve seamless cargo movement beyond Ibadan from Lagos, as movement to Ilorin, Mokwa and Minna would soon begin.

    He reiterated that vandals are attacking the rail lines because the lines had been inactive for a very long time, adding that with the Renewed Hope Agenda, government investments in the railway sector, time has come to change the narrative.

    Already, the corporation has commenced the movements of bulk goods including cement, gypsum, and soda ash, among others, from the ports in partnership with some terminal operators, logistics companies and manufacturing concerns.

    “We are happy that we are gradually taking back our space as the centre of bulk or large cargo movement over a long distance which hitherto had been taken over by other modes especially the road mode. We have not abandoned our legacy tracks, better known as the narrow gauges, as cargo movements would resume on all our old narrow gauges. We are not only working on moving cargoes through the standard gauge, both are going to be very busy in cargo movements,’’ he added.

  • Govt’s investment in rail sector yielding fruits, says Opeifa

    Govt’s investment in rail sector yielding fruits, says Opeifa

    The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Dr Kayode Opeifa, has said the huge investments of the Federal Government in rail development has led to an improved service delivery and greater operational efficiency of the rail sector.

    He added that Nigerians should expect more rail development that would cut across the six geo-political zones of the country under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

    He spoke while playing host to the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA), led by the National President and Chairman of the Board, Dr Olusegun Obayendo.

    He said: “We now have in the Nigerian Railway Corporation a teaming group of professionals who can be regarded as the heroes of railway mobility. These people have kept the nation’s railway going simply because the Chinese government and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) have encouraged technology transfer, which has helped in building human capacity in line with the intentions of the Federal Government’s investments.”

    According to him, the NRC will be building on the competencies of these crop of engineers to improve capacity and efficiency of the railway as the corporation is set to maximize its potentials within the limit of the funds available to it.

    “We have a crop of young engineers who can remodel and retrofit any coach and locomotive engines. Our engineers can build train tracks given the support they have gained from the CCECC and the Chinese government,” he said.

    Opeifa who said mobility is the fifth pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda added that much of the initiatives that would come under this would see massive rehabilitation of the narrow gauge.

    The NRC said the NRC is now poised to take full advantage of its position as the facilitator of business, fulfilling its traditional mandate not only as a rail transport management company, but also a logistics firm.

    He said the legacy narrow gauge tracks is already moving into the ports, where in partnership with one terminal operator, the corporation is already moving 70, 40 feet containers thrice a week, from the Apapa Port to the Inland Dry Port in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while talks are at advanced stage for another terminal operator to soon commence bulk movement operation.

    He said in a matter of months, the corporation would achieve seamless cargo movement beyond Ibadan from Lagos, as movement to Ilorin, Mokwa and Minna would soon begin.

    “We are happy to inform Nigerians that we are gradually taking back our space as the centre of bulk or large cargo movement over a long distance which hitherto has been taken over by other modes especially the road.

    “We are not only working on the standard gauge to move cargoes, we are also working on the nation’s food belt. We are reactivating the Idogo line between Ogun State and Lagos, to ensure that we move farm produce to the markets in the city,” he said.

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    He said the NRC is encouraging state governments to take advantage of the train spurs within their territories to build new lines that will serve the people’s transportation needs.

    According to him, the NRX is working at granting states to get Track Access, the same extended to Lagos State’s Red line, which would serve the needs of the local communities.

    He listed Ogun, Bauchi, Niger, Plateau, Borno, among states already showing some interest to copy Lagos State just as he said opportunities also abound for regional development Commissions to invest in the rail sector.

    “We have started discussions with the DAWN Commission, the precursor of the South West Development Commission, on rail development, while talks are also ongoing with other regional bodies in this regard,” he said.

    Within the month, the corporation, Opeifa disclosed, would commence the Jos-Kuru line, as part of the commitment of the Plateau State government, ensuring the utilisation of the rail systems in its area.

    He added that in the short to long term, the corporation is looking at the possibility of mini grids to complement efforts of its research and development unit to deploy Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engines to service the routes.

    He therefore urged the private sector to play more active roles in the rail systems and ensure that the rail economy in the country is boosted.

    Earlier, the CIOTA President, Olusegun Obayendo, commended President Tinubu for his foresight in picking Opeifa for the job.

    Also describing him as a “round peg in a round hole”, Obayendo said Opeifa, a Fellow of the Institute, has the right pedigree to make the best of the assignment.

    Also speaking both Prof Iyiola Oni, Dean, college of Multimodal Transportation, at the University of Lagos, and former Dean of the School of Transportation and Logistics Development, LASU, Prof Samuel Gbadebo Odewunmi, said CIOTA will back the new MD up to succeed in his assignment.

    The regarded the opportunity as the best for CIOTA to prove it’s centrality to the management of transportation in the country.

    In a related development, the Terminal Operators under the NRC concessioned areas, have paid a courtesy visit to the NRC MD, where they pledged they total allegiance to the success of the mandate to move cargoes within their bonded terminals by rail to anywhere across the country.

  • Container movement by rail to Kaduna, Kano, will soon resume – Opeifa

    Container movement by rail to Kaduna, Kano, will soon resume – Opeifa

    The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa, has assured Inland Containers Nigeria Limited (ICNL) of seamless container movement by rail from Apapa Port to Kaduna and Kano.

    Opeifa made the promise on Wednesday, while receiving the Management Team of the ICNL, led by its Managing Director, Omotayo Dada, at the NRC headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos.

    The visit was a sequel to one by the NRC Managing Director to ICNL headquarters in Kaduna, which paved the way for discussion on the resumption of container movement by rail to Kaduna.

    Opeifa said the corporation is willing to partner with major movers of large containers from across the country and added that only recently, the NRC entered into a partnership with APMT for the movement of containers from Apapa to the Inland Dry Port in Ibadan, Oyo State.

    He said the corporation would continue to design products for companies willing to use the rail to move its cargoes, adding that with the ICNL partnership, the corporation hopes to move additional 50 to 100 containers per day from Lagos to Kano via, Apapa, Ijoko, Ilorin, Minna, and Kaduna.

    Also, the Director of Operations and Commercial of the corporation, Akin Osinowo, said the corporation is in talks with many manufacturers, including the Dangote Group of Companies and BUA, among others.

    Niger govt partners with NRC for safe transportation of farm produce

    He added that the NRC continues to service Lafarge, taking cement consignments from Ewekoro to Osogbo and Ilorin.

    Read Also: Opeifa and the rail challenge

    He, however, said any company or terminal operator partnering with it are meant to add value to rail movement by using their size and stature to prospect new customers in order to boost the railway’s haulage capacity.

    He said the ICNL is a long standing customer of the corporation, adding that some of the factors that led to the stoppage of cargo movement especially on the narrow gauge are being addressed.

    Opeifa said issues such as insecurity, especially between Minna and Kaduna, and the washouts of several portions of the rail tracks, among others, are being aggressively addressed either by the corporation’s team of engineers or by the Federal Government.

  • Opeifa averts railway workers’ strike

    Opeifa averts railway workers’ strike

    The strike proposed by the Railways Workers Union has been cancelled, following pleas by the Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa.

    The association agreed to cancel the proposed industrial action in honour of the new helmsman, who assumed office on Thursday. 

    Leaders of the union explained that there were outstanding issues that should warrant a strike, alleging insensitivity to workers’ complaints by the past management. 

    However, at the handing over ceremony at the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s (NRC) head office in Ebute-Meta, Lagos, Opeifa pacified the aggrieved workers, assuring them that he would give them a listening ear.

    He reminded the union leaders about his antecedent as a rights activist who belongs to the same family as them in their collective emancipation of the masses. 

    Opeifa said: “I request that you should cancel the strike. We will go into talks. I assure you that we will work together in a harmonious relationship.”

    The managing director promised to modernise and deepen the national rail system to connect the states of the federation.

    He promised to prioritise the welfare of the workers to enable the current Federal Government to realise its Renewed Hope Agenda.

    Opeifa said: “I am reminded of the critical role the Nigerian Railway Corporation plays in driving economic growth, promoting national integration, and improving the lives of Nigerians. We will, together, work tirelessly to ensure that the corporation achieves its mandate and exceeds expectations.”

    The managing director promised that the NRC, working with the Ministry of Transportation, would prioritise the security of lives and properties, modernise and expand the current rail infrastructure and introduce new technologies to improve efficiency, and safety, and increase rail connectivity.

    Read Also: Awori indigenes urge Opeifa to revamp rail sector

    Opeifa also promised to introduce other areas that would improve customer experience, and capacity building, as well as deepen relationships and accelerate project completion.

    He said he would carry along the management and workers of the corporation to focus on “efficiency, safety, and customer satisfaction that is driven by passion and excellence”.

    The managing director was accompanied by eminent people from the state, including All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alhaji Fouad Oki; former deputy governor and Senior Special Advisor to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; a former lawmaker, Dr. Babatunde Adejare; retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Hakeem Olusegun Odumosu; Leader of Mandate Group in Alimosho Local Government Area, Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo; former Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abiodun Ladega; and the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa.