NRC Targets Full Electrification of Nigeria’s Rail Network in Five Years

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced plans to fully electrify the country’s rail network within five years, as part of its long-term Vision 2-5-10-20 development strategy aimed at modernizing rail transport and boosting efficiency.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, made the disclosure on Wednesday at the 7th National Transport Conference of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA) in Abuja.

According to a statement by the NRC’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, Opeifa described the electrification drive as a key component of the corporation’s modernization agenda.

“The NRC plans to optimize national rail assets within the first two years, transition to electric traction by the fifth year, double national rail capacity within ten years, and achieve not less than 60,000 kilometers of rail network nationwide within 20 years,” he said.

The NRC boss explained that the move to electric traction will enhance operational efficiency, reduce fuel costs, and minimize environmental impact, aligning Nigeria’s rail system with global sustainability goals.

Opeifa further disclosed that several state governments along national rail corridors — including Lagos, Plateau, Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, and Niger — can now access and utilize federal rail assets at no extra cost, following legislative reforms that placed railway development on the concurrent legislative list.

“This roadmap ensures that states can fully access and utilize national rail assets. Lagos and Plateau are already making full use of this policy, and we encourage other states to key into the initiative,” he added.

The NRC is also expanding its freight operations, now transporting higher volumes of containerized cargo, gypsum, soda ash, cement, metal coils, and materials for the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project.

Opeifa emphasized that the ongoing reforms and electrification drive represent a new era for Nigeria’s rail transportation, promising faster, cleaner, and more reliable train services across the country.

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