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NBS report shows ₦1.95bn earned from passengers in Q1 2025
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Over 929,000 commuters used the rail system, a 37.65% rise
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Sector posts 18.65% GDP growth amid renewed infrastructure push
Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have reported a significant rise in passenger traffic and revenue in the first quarter of 2025, underscoring the growing impact of rail infrastructure investment on the transport sector.
According to the NBS Rail Transportation Data Q1 2025 report released on 5 October and confirmed via the bureau’s official X handle on Tuesday, NRC generated a total of ₦1.95 billion from passenger services between January and March 2025.
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This marks a 37.65 per cent increase in ridership, with 929,553 passengers recorded compared to 675,293 during the same period in 2024.
The report also revealed that freight movement surged as goods transported through the rail network hit 181,520 tons in Q1 2025 — up from 160,650 tons a year earlier.
Revenue from cargo operations reached ₦657.03 million, reflecting an 8.19 per cent growth from ₦607.32 million recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
Other non-passenger receipts, including fees and miscellaneous charges, saw a remarkable surge to ₦115.68 million in Q1 2025 — a 355.39 per cent rise from ₦25.40 million in the corresponding period of 2024.
The NBS attributed the upward trend to the Federal Government’s sustained investment in rail modernisation projects, notably the Lagos–Ibadan standard gauge rail line, which continues to drive operational efficiency and passenger confidence since its commissioning in 2021.
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In addition, the report indicated that the railway sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 18.65 per cent within the same period, reaffirming its expanding role in national economic growth and domestic connectivity.
The NRC’s improved Q1 performance highlights rising public patronage and ongoing infrastructure upgrades across the network, positioning the rail system as a key driver of sustainable mobility and logistics efficiency in Nigeria’s evolving transport landscape.
