The Nigeria Railways Corporation (NRC) Abuja-Kaduna railway route, which previously runs five trips daily from both ends, has now been reduced to a single trip a day, forcing passengers to compete for the limited tickets amid allegations of black-market racketeering. In addition, there are no services onWednesdays supposedly to allow for maintenance of train engines and the rail tracks. This development has left commuters worried and the NRC losing billions of Naira in revenue.

Concerns over the continued reduction in train operations along the critical corridor have neither being adequately acknowledged nor addressed by the authorities. Unofficial sources surmise that the reduction became necessary after one of the two locomotives serving the route developed a mechanical fault. The challenge faced by travellers is compounded by the increasing difficulty in obtaining tickets both online and over-the-counter channels. With fewer spaces available, many prospective passengers are stranded at stations daily.

What was once a relatively straightforward way of travelling has, for most passengers, now become a daily struggle involving long queues, a poorly functioning online booking system and apparent exploitation by some railway staff.

Passengers find it almost impossible to secure the limited tickets online because the portal hardly works, while over-the-counter tickets are sold only a few minutes before departure, if they are available at all. Instead, desperate commuters are forced to buy tickets at exorbitant prices from staff members or agents outside the stations. In clear violation of security regulations, such tickets often bear names different from those of the actual passengers using them. Similarly, such economy tickets that officially cost between N3,500 and N4,000 are resold on the black market for between N5,000 and N10,000.

The scarcity of seats has also paved the path for under-the-counter deals. Some passengers reportedly resort to giving money to staff in order to gain access to the trains without possessing any valid tickets. Customers who cannot secure tickets through the official channels are therefore left with little choice but to pay more in cash and still stand the risk of being fined for boarding without receipts. During journeys, some staffapproach passengers travelling without tickets under the guise of arresting or penalising them. Instead of following a transparent and official process, passengers may be pressured to pay cash, with the money allegedly going directly into the pockets of the individual officials.

Obviously, this sloppy system also makes it possible for terrorists and other criminals to embark on the trains. Official regulations require anyone buying tickets online or over-the-counter to present valid identification such as a National Identity Card, driver’s licence or passport. Without these, it is virtually impossible to track the movement of wanted criminals or even documentation of passengers in the case of emergencies.

Sources indicate that there are adequate spare-parts to fix the faulty engine that supposedly led to the reduction in services along the Abuja-Kaduna route. In fact, there is reportedly a complete brand-new locomotive at the NRC headquarters in Lagos but an attempt to move has yet to receive approval due to a lack of political will. This could lead to suspicions that the racketeers benefitting from the scarcity of seats are enjoying the support of powerful political office holders with supervisory and oversight roles on railways.

Increasing the number of coaches and trips would certainly go a long way towards addressing the shortage. If more seats are made available, passengers will be less vulnerable to unscrupulous staff taking advantage of the scarcity. The measure would also ease the pressure on road transportation, ameliorate the high cost fuel and impact positively on the national economy. Any argument that investment would be an economic waste is voided by the fact that the Warri-Itakpe Train Serviceand the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service provide three morning trains; two in the afternoon; and four in the evening even though the traffic is lighter.

The NRC is the state-owned enterprise with exclusive rights to operate railways in Nigeria. Since it started operations with the construction of the first rail line from Lagos to Ibadan between 1898 and 1901, its impact on the economy has been immeasurable. Considering the bludgeoning population growth, it can clearly do even more. The train service is an important means of transportation for many Nigerians. Passengers should not have to wake up before dawn, struggle with a malfunctioning website or pay inflated prices simply to secure a seat. A transparent ticketing system, adequate train capacity and proper supervision of railway workers are necessary to restore confidence and ensure that the service works for the people it is meant to serve.

In the meanwhile, Federal Ministry of Transportation, the NRC and all those responsible for railway operations also need to investigate the allegations of ticket and resale and ensure that tickets are made available to passengers at the approved prices. Any staff found deliberately withholding tickets for personal gain should face appropriate disciplinary action. There should also be proper monitoring at train stations and on board trains. Passengers travelling without tickets should be dealt with according to clear and publicly known rules, with any fines or penalties paid through official channels rather than directly to individual staff members.

We call on the Federal Government to step in and take all necessary measures to restore the frequency of services on the vital Abuja-Kaduna route. A source at the Federal Ministry of Transportation disclosed that about N5 billion would be required to fully revamp the corridor. A cursory calculation shows that even if 10 trips were operated daily from both ends of the corridor, they would still attract enough passengers. Since these would translate into more income for the NRC, whatever costs are incurred could be recovered in record time.