The Senate has initiated an investigation into the operational inefficiencies and security concerns plaguing Nigeria’s railway system, amid rising concerns about declining service delivery.
This decision follows a personal explanation presented during Thursday’s plenary by a lawmaker, who highlighted the deteriorating condition of key rail corridors across the country.
As a result, Senate President Godswill Akpabio set up an ad hoc committee to conduct a thorough inquiry into the state of the Nigerian railway system.
The committee has been tasked with investigating the execution of rail projects, funding, operational efficiency, and service delivery. It is expected to submit its findings within six weeks. The committee, which was first constituted in November 2025, is chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
Commenting on the deteriorating state of rail services, Senator Akpabio expressed his concern over the significant decline in the speed of the Abuja–Kaduna train service. He lamented that the journey time had worsened to the point where a bicycle or Keke Napep could now reach Kaduna faster than the train.
Senator Abdul Ningi had previously raised similar concerns, drawing attention to the poor condition of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano rail line. He alleged that the project’s contract had been poorly executed, despite the line generating over 1.8 billion naira in revenue, with no significant improvements in service quality.
Ningi further pointed out that while the journey from Abuja to Kaduna used to take around 1.5 hours, it now takes roughly 3.5 hours to cover the same distance. Additionally, he noted that train operations on the route have been reduced to one trip daily, down from multiple trips previously. The train now departs Abuja at 7:00 a.m. and returns from Kaduna on the same day
