We made over N3bn from train services in 2019 – NRC

Nigerian Railway Corporation on Friday disclosed that it generated N3.09bn from commercial train services nationwide in 2019, adding that N1.5bn came from the Abuja/Kaduna route.

NRC operates the Abuja/Kaduna standard gauge line. Passengers are also moved on the narrow gauge from Ijoko in Ogun State to Ebute Metta in Lagos State. Cargos and passengers are moved on the Lagos/Kano narrow gauge.

Managing Director of NRC, Fidet Okhiria, in a statement signed by the Media Assistant to the Minister of Transportation, Mrs. Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni, disclosed that the Abuja/Kaduna rail line was generating about N130m monthly in 2019 against the maximum of N80m in the previous years.

He disclosed that N90m of the N130m generated monthly was spent on maintenance and payment of salaries at the Maiduguri station, which could not operate for now due to insecurity in the state.

The Ministry of Transportation had come under fire over the repayment of the $500m loan from China for the construction of the Abuja/Kaduna standard gauge.

The minister, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed that the government opened an escrow account for repayment of the loan.

Okhiria further disclosed that money generated from the Abuja/Kaduna rail service was used to service other stations in the North, like the Maiduguri station, which was not functional at the moment.

“In 2019, train operations nationwide generated about N3.09bn and we are targeting about N6bn when Lagos/Ibadan and Itakpe/Warri comes on board,” he said.

However, the reduction of passengers from 80 to 40 per coach will definitely affect revenue generation for this year, except if the hourly ride is properly implemented.

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