Nigeria’s rail transport sector recorded N1.95 billion in passenger revenue in the first quarter of 2025, a 37.36 percent increase from N1.42 billion in the same period of 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The NBS Rail Transport Report also showed that passenger traffic rose by 37.6 percent to 929,553 passengers, up from 675,293 in the first quarter of the previous year. Freight operations improved as cargo volume reached 181,520 tons, compared to 160,650 tons in Q1 2024.
Revenue from goods and cargo transport increased by 8.19 percent, amounting to N657.03 million in Q1 2025, against N607.32 million a year earlier. Other income receipts surged to N115.68 million, representing a 355.39 percent jump from N25.40 million recorded in Q1 2024.
The report noted that data for pipeline transportation for the quarter were not available at the time of publication.
Across 2024, total passenger traffic stood at 3.14 million, with the highest movement of 1.03 million recorded in the fourth quarter, signaling sustained recovery in rail usage and operational efficiency. Total passenger revenue for 2024 reached N6.72 billion, while cargo operations generated N1.95 billion.
The NBS said the growth trend reflects improvements in rail infrastructure, service reliability, and government investment in network expansion. The Federal Government has continued to modernise the sector through the rehabilitation of narrow-gauge lines and the development of standard-gauge corridors linking key commercial hubs.
