The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr Fidet Okhiria, has given an update on prospective rail projects in the country.
He spoke on the backdrop of the commencement of rail services services on the Warri-Itakpe, Abuja-Kaduna, and Lagos-Ibadan routes.
He told PUNCH on Saturday that “We are hoping that between two to three years, we should be able to talk about Lagos-Ilorin, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano-Maradi, Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri on the narrow gauge, and to Calabar. We should also be talking about either Lagos-Benin or Port-Harcourt to Benin, and then Itakpe-Abuja.”
He dismissed the notion that rail transportation is reserved for the elites, adding that train fares cut across different economic class.
His words, “I do not believe it is for the elite alone; we have coaches for different categories of people. The price starts from N2,500 for the 82-seater up to N7,500 for the 24-seater. But people usually pick the higher ones and forget about the lower ones. So, people want to enjoy all the facilities at the basic price. However, even the basic is far more affordable.”
The NRC boss also hinted at prospective partnerships with investors and private sector stakeholders.
Responding to a question on the roles private operators play in the running of the completed lines, he said, “People can bring in coaches and run; we are open. You can bring your train and we will enter a Memorandum of Understanding.
“People can decide to take, for example, Ikorodu to Benin. We will guide them and they will operate. They can do anything.”