More Nigerians are relying on trains to do business

Compared to a year ago, more Nigerians have embraced rail lines as a valid means of transporting goods. Additionally, more Nigerians are beginning to rely on trains for daily commute. In September 2023, Nigeria's economic hub; Lagos commissioned its Blue Rail Line, an electric rapid transit line.

A report by Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics showed that more Nigerians are using rail systems as a means of transporting their goods.

The report indicated that in the second quarter of 2024, 143,759 tons of products and freight transited via rail. This is a significant jump from the volume recorded in the same period last year.

In the second quarter of 2023, Nigerians moved 56,936 tons of goods/cargo, representing an increase of approximately 86823 tons in a single year.

In addition, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) revealed that 5,940 tons more commodities and freight were moved by pipeline in Q2 2024 than in Q2 2023 (2,856 tons).

In the period under review, N537.36 million was generated from goods/cargo transported by railroad, an increase of 206.68% from N175.22 million in the same period last year.

Furthermore, Q2 2024 income from the pipeline transportation of goods/cargo was N42.08 million, which was more than the N12.81 million recorded in the second quarter of 2023.

With N994.68 million in other revenues, Q2 2024 saw a 5,206.68% rise over Q2 2023's N18.74 million received.

This increase in rail use, also reflected in the daily commute of passengers. The report notes that in the period under review, 689,263 passengers used the train system, up from 474,117 in the same quarter of 2023, representing a 45.38% increase.

Rail passengers brought in N1.69 billion in revenue in Q2 of 2024, up 53.14% from the N1.10 billion generated in the same period last year.

Blue rail line contribution

A report by Punch showed that the Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit, according to the Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Abimbola Akinajo, transported about two million passengers in the past year.

This line typically services passengers and is hardly used for the transportation of goods/cargoes, nonetheless it has become a transit system that many residents of Lagos have come to embrace.

"Over the past years, the Blue Line has served an impressive two million passengers without significant disruptions," she said.

"In August 2024, we increased the daily frequency of trips from 54 to 72, reducing travel time between Marina and Mile 2 from about 30 minutes to 18 minutes," she added.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari opened the Blue Line on January 23, 2023. It, however, began transporting people on September 4, 2023.