The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced plans to increase the fleet on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge to two.
Since November 2020, the Corporation has started commercial operation on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor, running only one return trip, which leaves Ibadan, the Oyo State capital 6.30am daily and leaves Lagos, by 4.30pm.
The NRC Managing Director Fidet Okhiria who disclosed this yesterday said the Corporation is already discussing with the contractor China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on the best time that the new line could be introduced.
According to him, the CCECC advise is needed because they are still busy on the line, and arrangement as to the timing for the train must be adequately worked upon before such could be deployed, especially as it concerns passenger traffic.
Okhiria said with the introduction of the line, it would be convenient for a line to originate from Lagos enroute Ibadan, to complement the one that leaves Ibadan for Lagos and “we would be able to give our customers more flexible time-table around which they could build their travel for more effectiveness.
He said the corporation is responding to growing customers demand for more lines on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor.
The corporation chief also disclosed that the corporation now runs all days of the week.
Hitherto, the train operation is from Monday to Friday.
Okhiria said the weekend service has been encouraging since it was introduced as more people who want to connect with their families readily use the train.
He said: “We are seeing encouraging response since we introduced the weekend service on the train and people who wanted to connect with their families in Ibadan and elsewhere in the Southwest now find the train as a very useful alternative to the traffic congestion on the road.”
He said the corporation would eventually be introducing eight lines on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor, and more of such would be introduced once the stations are being completed and delivered by the contractor.
“Right now we are losing a lot of patronage as not many people can come to the only station at Ebute Meta to board the train. When the stations are completed more people would be able to access them and board and we expect that with the increase in demand, we would be able to increase more fleet.”
The Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has directed the corporation to increase the fleet run on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor, because according to him, “of the need to begin to make revenue for the government.”