By Demilade Adeniyi
The District 9112 of Rotary International has lauded the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), of Dr Kayode Opeifa, for the transformation and revitalisation of the rail services in the country.
The commendation was made by the District Governor of Rotary International, Rotarian Adedoyin Lanre, when he led a high powered delegation of Rotarians from the district on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025, to the NRC Headquarters to pay courtesy call on the Managing Director.
He said the club was happy to observe that the nation’s railway services is now witnessing a renewed hope as it embarks on strong revitalisation in line with the reforms being implemented by the new Managing Director.
The visit, facilitated by the President of the Rotary Club of Lagos Mainland, Rotarian Lekan Oluyoye, began with a warm reception by the NRC Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, who led the team on a tour of the Railway facilities around the headquarters.
Among other areas toured by the visitors are; the Running Shed of the Nigerian Railway and the Railway Technical Institute, where they were received by the Principal, Engr. Tukur Majus.
The team was briefed on the institute’s vision, training programmes, and modern skill development offerings in electrical photovoltaic, carpentry, machine operations, welding, automobile mechanics, and fashion.
In his opening remarks, Rotarian Oluyoye expressed appreciation to NRC for its warm reception and hospitality.
He commended the strides made in revamping the railway sector and emphasized Rotary’s interest in vocational training and national development.
He also proposed the establishment of a Rotary Hub within NRC premises and made a special appeal for complimentary support for the upcoming Rotary District Conference in Abeokuta.
The delegation also enjoyed a ride on the Lagos Standard gauge Conference Coach from Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute-Metta, to Agege.
The District Governor, who nostalgically recalled his first train ride in 1986, expressed deep admiration for the transformation witnessed within the NRC.
In his response, Dr. Opeifa, himself a Past President of the Rotary Club of Agege, thanked the visitors for considering NRC a worthy partner.
He expressed NRC’s openness to collaboration and affirmed its support for Rotary initiatives.
Opeifa highlighted key aspects of NRC’s ongoing transformation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which include: Enhancing Rail Transport by reconnecting major routes such as Lagos–Kano and Port Harcourt–Maiduguri, expanding freight and cargo services to boost trade and ease logistics and collaborating with States, including Lagos on the Red Line and Plateau on the Jos–Bukuru route.
Others are; the creation of Track Access for willing states under the railing with States to enable the full utilisation of NRC’s fixed infrastructure, and the development of Human Capacity through staff training and service improvement.
Dr. Opeifa emphasized the Corporation’s strategic role in national development, noting:
“If railway dies, Nigeria’s economy will grind to zero. That’s why we are optimizing what we have and embracing collaborations that drive growth.”
