Enhanced Rail Security Boosts Passenger Traffic
Enhanced rail security measures have contributed to a resurgence in train travel within Nigeria. Since 2023, authorities have implemented various strategies to safeguard railway lines that were previously targeted by terrorist attacks.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that 675,293 passengers utilized train services in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2024. This figure represents a substantial 52.88% increase compared to the 441,725 passengers recorded in the same period of 2023.
Freight Transport Also on the Rise
Rail freight data also reveals impressive growth, with 160,650 tons of goods transported, compared to 59,966 tons in the previous year. Additionally, 8,000 tons of additional volume were transported via pipeline.
Revenue Growth for Nigerian Railway Corporation
Passenger transport generated approximately 1.42 billion nairas (around 876,000 USD) in revenue for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) during Q1 2024. This marks a significant increase from the 768.44 million nairas (approximately 475,000 USD) earned in the same period last year.
Freight revenue reached 607.32 million nairas (around 375,000 USD), a substantial 235.03% rise compared to the 181.27 million nairas (approximately 112,000 USD) generated in 2023. Pipeline freight revenue amounted to 59.14 million nairas (approximately 36.5 million USD) during the same period.
2023 Rail Passenger Traffic Overview
It’s worth noting that in 2023, the total passenger traffic recorded by the Nigerian railway network was 2.1 million.