NRC, South-west commission to revive abandoned rail routes, strengthen regional trade

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and the newly operational Southwest Development Commission (SWDC) have begun talks on reactivating disused railway lines across the region to bolster economic activities and ease movement of goods between Lagos and other southwestern states.

The NRC Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, announced the partnership on Tuesday while receiving the SWDC leadership, led by its Managing Director, Charles Akinola, on a working visit to the corporation’s headquarters in Lagos.

in a statement signed by Callistus Unyimadu, Chief Public Relations officer at NRC, on Wednesday, Mr Opeifa said the corporation will work with the commission to produce a Memorandum of Understanding for the operationalisation of designated routes, describing the NRC as open for business and ready to support initiatives that align with national development priorities.

“We are delighted to see the SWDC take off from where the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission stopped in developing a master plan for regional rail development for states in the southwest,” he said.

The SWDC Managing Director said the commission’s plan for rail development in the zone is structured into short, medium and long-term phases. In the short term, he said the SWDC seeks the ceding of some old unserviced routes for operation on a profit-sharing basis, including the revival of the Osogbo–Dagbolu–Erunmu line.

He added that the Idogo route remained critical for boosting food security by transporting agricultural products to major markets.

“We want to take up the Idogo route. This route is noted for taking farm produce from our farmers to markets in Lagos, where these food stuffs are in high demand. We want to incentivize agricultural produce and Idogo line would play a major role in that,” he said.

Mr Akinola also highlighted the potential of maximizing existing rail services in Lagos, Oyo and Osun to ensure efficient movement of foodstuffs into Lagos, while transporting consumer goods back into the region. He said the commission believes that reactivating the routes would attract subsidy support and spur economic development across the six southwest states.

On the medium term, he stated that the SWDC would seek operational and track access licences for new rail routes while encouraging private investors to participate in the sector.

He emphasised the commission’s plan to construct new rail spurs linking all states in the region to national rail lines, including facilities such as the Omi Adio and Moniya dry ports.

The SWDC chief further requested land approvals to facilitate warehouse construction, citing a siding already established at Dagbolu in Osun State. He called for the formation of a joint technical team to accelerate implementation, assuring that governors in the region fully support the initiative.

“We are looking at encouraging some investors to come into the rail sector and run the rail lines in the region. This agenda has been advanced by the DAWN Commission in the past. We are willing to build new spurs to connect all the states in the South-west to the national lines by rail thereby making the dry port at Omi Adio and in Moniya more active,” he said.

Railway operations now open to all

Mr Opeifa welcomed the proposals, saying the NRC is already reviewing the commission’s requests and has directed relevant departments to work with a joint technical team to fast-track the process.

“What you are asking for is possible and will happen. We have also received your request for an operating track access licences. Our people are already looking at it and I have mandated all our directors to work with your technical team in bringing up the right MoU that would berth all your requests,” Mr Opeifa said.

He said recent constitutional amendments removing railways from the exclusive legislative list had opened space for state governments and private operators to participate in the sector.

“With moving the enabling law from the exclusive to the concurrent list, the federal government and the Nigerian Railway Corporation no longer have monopoly of the railway system in Nigeria. All development commissions, state governments, and private sector players are free to play in the sector,” Mr Opeifa added.

Other regions showing interest

Mr Opeifa further disclosed that other regional development commissions and state governments are engaging the corporation to revive long-abandoned rail routes across the country.

He said the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) has formally approached the NRC to explore areas of mutual cooperation, with a particular interest in reactivating key Eastern rail corridors.

According to him, similar momentum is building in the North, where the Niger State government is working closely with the corporation on plans to restore operations along the northern flank of the Lagos–Kano Western Line.

The renewed push, he noted, aligns with the interest earlier shown by the SWDC, which views the route as critical for the movement of agricultural produce and improved market linkages between Lagos and northern states.

Mr Opeifa said the NRC is assessing these proposals with the aim of ensuring that each corridor reactivation supports trade, reduces road pressure, and enhances national connectivity.

Why the move matters

The renewed push to revive abandoned railway routes in the South-west comes at a time when transportation costs, food prices, and congestion in Lagos have placed pressure on regional trade.

As the economic hub of Nigeria, Lagos depends heavily on food supplies and raw materials from neighbouring and far-flung states, yet most of the cargoes currently move by road. The road networks are however overstretched, slow and vulnerable to insecurity and gruelling costs.

Restoring rail links between Lagos and agricultural belts in Osun, Ogun, and Oyo could improve the flow of farm produce into the city and expand market access for rural communities. For commuters and businesses, improved rail options could reduce the dependence on highways like the Lagos–Ibadan corridor, which suffers from frequent gridlock.