budgets N1.4bn for diesel to power locomotives
By Demi Adeniyi
The Federal Government has approved N34,239,970,461 billion for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) projects and expenditures for the year 2026.
According to available data sourced from the 2026 Appropriation Bill, the NRC is to spend N22,383,880,809 billion on Personnel Cost for the year 2026, while salary and wages are expected to gulp N16,091,839,604 billion for the year under review.
The NRC’s capital expenditure in the budget will amount to N11,654,971,641 billion, while the corporation will spend N5,966,263,906 billion on Fixed Asset Purchases and N4,190,707,735 billion on the rehabilitation of general fixed assets.
Procurement and rehabilitation of locomotives and rolling stock for the Standard Gauge rail is expected to gulp N1,178,847,994 billion in the year 2026, while the procurement of diesel (AGO) to power cars and locomotives is expected to gulp N1,400,000,000 billion.
Procurement and rehabilitation of rolling stock for the Narrow-gauge rail will gulp N1,913,915,912 billion, while rehabilitation of stations and other railway buildings will gulp N1,400,000,000 billion in 2026.
Regarding travel arrangements, the NRC is expected to spend N27,000,000 million on local travel and transportation arrangements, while international travel and transportation is expected to cost N13,000,000.
Other expenditures include: N28,000,000 million for the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects; N350,000,000 million for Rehabilitation of roads into stations, rest houses, workshop, chalets and operational residential quarters; N560,000,000 million for Rehabilitation of tracks including emergency recovery, bridges and culverts; N700,000,000 million for Procurement of spare parts (including lubricants) for the locomotives, coaches and wagons; N350,000,000 million for Insurance of locomotives and rolling stocks; and N490,000,000 million for Procurement of workshop equipment and rolling stocks type.
Others are: N830,707,735 million for Rehabilitation of Narrow Gauge track from Minna to Baro, with extension to the Baro River Port; N700,000,000 million for Procurement of track materials; N770.000.000 million for Procurement of rail inspection vehicles.
N420,000,000 million for Building of station, platform and canopy at km 31 on Itakpe-Aladja rail line; N490,000,000 million for ongoing environmental management, coaches cleaning and debushing; N3,500,000 million for the upgrading of signaling & telecom system on eastern line (Port Harcourt- Maiduguri) including revised estimated total cost for extension to western line; and N10,000,000 million for the provision and installation of televisions at various passenger’s waiting rooms of the train stations.
