FG: We may increase number of trips on Lagos-Ibadan rail to meet demand

The Federal Government has revealed plans to increase the number of scheduled trips on the Lagos-Ibadan train service to meet increasing demand and patronage.

Minister of transportation Mu’azu Sambo revealed the plans after inspecting the Lagos-Ibadan rail facility during a monitoring visit to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) headquarters in Lagos.

Stressing the need to increase trips to meet the demands of passengers, he said, “We can have more trips. So you have to schedule these train services to cover a particular period of the day from morning until evening.”

“I am highly impressed with the railway modernisation program of this administration. What we have seen is unprecedented. And we have vowed, my colleagues and I, that within the short time that we have to spend as ministers, we will build on what we have found so that the trajectory will not be truncated in any way at all,” he added.

The NRC had reduced the number of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan train route in August as a result of the hike in the price of automotive gas oil, also known as diesel.

The corporation currently runs two trips on the route, one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Speaking on plans for resumption of train services on the Abuja-Kaduna route, Sambo reiterated the ministry’s plan to resume operations in November.

But responding to questions from journalists, he failed to disclose the resumption date.

“We have announced previously that we are going to commence operations on that line this month. We have the target date. It is not necessary for me to share that date publicly. I don’t think that would help in running the service. So, just be patient,” he said.

In his welcome address, Fidet Okhiria, managing director of the NRC, commended the minister’s commitment towards ensuring completion of all the projects within the timeframe.