The Nigerian Railway holds a unique place in the history of not just Nigeria’s but West Africa’s infrastructural and economic development. Originally an instrument of British imperial strategy, it evolved into the largest employer of labour within the colony and played a pivotal role in the economic foundation of Nigeria.
Even before extensive road networks developed, the Nigerian Railway connected vital trade routes across the country, facilitating the flow of people, goods, and resources and shaping Nigeria’s socioeconomic landscape from the late 19th century up to independence in 1960.
Map of Nigerian Railway network. Source: Tokunbo Ayoola
Beginnings of the Nigerian Railway (1898-1912)
The Nigerian Railway’s journey began in 1898, when the construction of the first railway line from Iddo, Lagos, started under the directive of British colonial authorities. This marked the dawn of modern rail transportation in Nigeria.
The line reached Abeokuta in 1901 and extended to Ibadan by the same year, covering approximately 190 km. By 1909, the railway reached Jebba on the Niger River and extended to Kano in 1911. This expansion allowed Nigeria’s economic activities to reach the inland regions, fostering stronger internal trade ties and advancing the colonial export-import economy.
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In 1912, the Lagos line was amalgamated with the Baro-Kano Railway, whose construction was carried out between 1907 and 1911 under the Northern Nigerian administration. This unified network was named the Government Department of Railways (GDR), the forerunner to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
The integration of these rail lines represented a milestone in linking the northern and southern parts of Nigeria, establishing a cohesive infrastructure that enhanced British control over the region’s resources and facilitated trade routes critical for economic growth.
Expansion and Economic Role (1913-1945)
Rail expansion continued rapidly in the following decades. The Port Harcourt line, reaching Enugu by 1916, was instrumental in transporting coal discovered in Udi to coastal export hubs, underlining the railway’s role in supporting resource extraction industries.
By the 1920s and 1930s, the Nigerian Railway became a backbone for Nigeria’s import-export economy, especially for the export of agricultural produce, minerals, and other resources vital to British interests. Facilitated by the completion of the Makurdi Bridge, the Eastern Line connected Port Harcourt and Kaduna during this period (it reached the Jos terminal in 1927), linking Nigeria’s northern region with the eastern seaports.
The railway network continued to grow, reaching over 3,000 km by the early 1930s. By then, the northern rail network had already extended to Kaura Namoda (in today’s Zamfara State) and to Nguru (in today’s Yobe State).
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By the 1940s, the railway was supporting the movement of over a million tons of goods annually, exceeding its original carrying capacity and establishing itself as a central pillar of colonial commerce and logistics. As of 1945, the rail network was already carrying more than its installed capacity of 1.5 million tons.
Rail Line, Straight Lines Between Nodes, and Nodes. Source: Dozie Okoye, Roland Pongou, and Tite Yokossi
Transition to Public Corporation (1950-1955)
Despite its successes, the Nigerian Railway faced growing operational challenges and mounting pressure from labour unions, which often organized strikes to demand better working conditions. In May 1952, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Oliver Lyttelton (of the Lyttelton Constitution of 1954), observed these challenges during an official visit. He recommended transforming the Nigerian Railway from a government department to a statutory corporation to improve efficiency, but this recommendation led to significant debates.
The Strong Commission, tasked with evaluating Nigeria’s port operations, proposed placing the railway under the Marine Department, which met resistance from Nigerian Railway’s General Manager, D.C. Woodward. Woodward suggested a unified body led by the railway itself (his department already played significant roles at the Lagos and Port Harcourt ports) rather than the Marine Department. He was opposed by the network of influential expatriate businesses called the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM). The United Africa Company (UAC) was a member of this association.
Ultimately, the colonial government decided to reorganize both the railway and port operations into separate statutory corporations. On August 23, 1950, colonial administrators met with representatives from major foreign firms represented by AWAM, resulting in a decision to transform the Nigerian Railway into an independent corporation. The Nigerian Ports Authority was established in 1954, and by 1955, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) was officially formed under the Nigerian Railway Corporation Ordinance, which gave it monopoly powers over Nigeria’s railway infrastructure.
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Ralf Emerson, a British engineer appointed as General Manager, developed the policies that shaped the NRC’s initial operations.
Abandoned locomotive. Source: Yusuff Suleiman, Wikipedia
The Nigerian Railway Corporation at Independence (1955-1960)
On October 1, 1955, the NRC formally assumed control over Nigeria’s railways. Under its mandate, the NRC inherited several kilometres of rail routes, including locomotives of different types (main line, shunting, and rail cars), most of which were steam-powered engines dating back to pre-1955.
Despite the technological limitations, the railway’s revenue reached new heights during the late 1950s and early 1960s, reflecting its essential role in both passenger and freight services across the country. Labour union influence remained significant in shaping the corporation’s development. Initially, railway workers were reluctant to transfer their employment from the government to the newly autonomous NRC.
However, after negotiations with powerful unions like the Nigerian Union of Railwaymen and the Railway and Port Workers Union, the transition was completed smoothly. By 1960, the NRC carried over seven million passengers annually and operated as the lifeline of Nigerian commerce, connecting local industries to global markets through ports in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
Its monopoly over rail services symbolized the colonial economic legacy that Nigeria would inherit upon achieving independence on October 1, 1960.
The Evolution of the Nigerian Railway System
The Nigerian Railway Corporation traces its history to the year 1898, when the first railroad in Nigeria was constructed by the British colonial government. On October 3, 1912, the Lagos Government Railway and the Baro-Kano Railway were amalgamated, starting nationwide rail service under the name Government Department of Railways. With the passing of the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act of 1955, the company gained its current name as well as the exclusive legal right to construct and operate rail service in Nigeria.
The rail network reached its maximum extent shortly after Nigerian independence, in 1964. Shortly after that, the NRC entered a long period of decline, inept management, and eventually a complete lack of maintenance of rail and locomotive assets. In 1988, NRC declared bankruptcy, and all rail traffic stopped for six months. After that, trains resumed, where the tracks were usable. By 2002, passenger service was again discontinued altogether.
Starting in 2006, plans were made to restore the rail lines and add new locomotives with foreign assistance. The Nigerian Railway Corporation recorded record revenues of 2.12 billion naira (approximately €4.664 million) in the first half of 2021, an increase of 31% over the same period in 2019, which recorded the previous record revenue.
None of the NRC's lines are electrified. 157 kilometers are double-tracked. These are located between Lagos and Ibadan. The rail lines are mostly built of rails with a weight per meter of 29.8 kg, 34.7 kg or 39.7 kg. In total, the NRC network is almost 4,000 kilometers long.
Under construction is the 1,443-kilometer Eastern Rail Line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri since 9 March 2021, with construction activities including renovation or reconstruction of existing lines. The project also includes new branch lines to Owerri and Damaturu, increasing the total length 2,044 km. The NRC network does not yet connect to the rail network of neighboring states. In September 2022, after a 10-year interruption, the Cape Gauge service from Bauchi to the suburb of Inkil resumed.
The oldest standard-gauge line is the original 217-kilometer line from Oturkpo to the Ajaokuta steel mill. An earlier standard gauge line of 51.5 kilometers operated between the Itakp mines and the Ajaokuta steel mill. On 29 September 2020, an extension, the Warri-Itakpe Railway, was officially opened by President Muhammadu Buhari in a virtual ceremony.
Passenger trains have been running on the standard gauge line since October 2020 and freight trains since April 2021. There are also plans for an extension here: from Ajaokuta to Abuja. This would give the line a length of 500 kilometers. Construction of the Abuja-Kaduna line by the Chinese construction company CCECC began in February 2011, and it was finally inaugurated on 26 July 2016. The total cost was US$870 million.
The 186.5-kilometer line, which begins in Idu 20 kilometers west of central Abuja, requires two hours of travel time for high-speed trains with a maximum speed of 100 km/h. In August 2020, NRC reported that about 50% of the revenue of its entire rail network (about 4,000 km) would be generated by the standard gauge Abuja-Kaduna line (186 km).
That Nigerians like to take the train between the capital Abuja and the next largest city Kaduna also has very serious reasons. Indeed, the "highway" between the two cities is a constant target for muggers. A train journey is thus the safer alternative to a car for residents of both cities. On 28 March 2022, the Abuja-Kaduna line was the target of a terrorist attack in which a large number of passengers and train staff were killed or kidnapped.
The Lagos-Ibadan double-track line has been under construction by CCECC since March 2017 and was inaugurated at the new Lagos Central Station on June 10, 2021. It is 157 km long and passes through Abeokuta. It is the first double-track standard gauge line in West Africa. A Lagos-Ibadan journey takes two and a half hours, half as long as the equivalent car journey.
Modern station buildings have been constructed along all new standard gauge lines. Trains offer relatively new rolling stock consisting of Couchette-type sleepers, air-conditioned first-class sitting coaches and non-air-conditioned economy-class coaches. Trains to/from Lagos also offer buffet cars. All trains are diesel locomotive operated.
The railways owns nearly 200 locomotives, of which up to 75% are not operational. NRC went more than once into bankruptcy during the last 20 years. Lack of maintenance on infrastructure and rolling stock and a high number of employees the railway produced huge deficits, not taken over by the state.
While the NRC had employed about 45,000 people between 1954 and 1975, current employment is only 6,516. He pointed out that no new wagons had been bought since 1993, and some wagons date back to 1948.
Source: PUNCH Newspapers
Nigerian Railway Corporation: Key Data
The following table summarizes key data about the Nigerian Railway Corporation:
| Aspect | Data |
|---|---|
| First Railroad Construction | 1898 |
| Amalgamation of Lagos and Baro-Kano Railways | October 3, 1912 |
| Maximum Extent of Rail Network | 1964 |
| Bankruptcy Declaration | 1988 |
| Record Revenue (First Half) | 2.12 billion naira (2021) |
| Double-Tracked Lines | 157 km (Lagos-Ibadan) |
| Total Network Length | Almost 4,000 km |
| Eastern Rail Line Length | 1,443 km (Port Harcourt to Maiduguri) |
| Abuja-Kaduna Line Length | 186.5 km |
| Lagos-Ibadan Line Length | 157 km |
