Deborah Akinyosoye
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has announced a 50 per cent reduction in train fares nationwide for the Yuletide season as part of efforts by the Federal Government to ease the cost of travel for Nigerians.
Opeifa disclosed this on TVC News Breakfast shared on his X handle, noting that the discount will run from December 23 to January 4.
According to him, the fare reduction is coming at a time when transportation costs across other modes have risen sharply due to increased seasonal demand.
“People are now buying air tickets for as much as ₦500,000, when you even get a seat. By road, Abuja fares are about ₦100,000 and even higher in some cases. This is the game of the season; more people want to travel, and as economists say, when demand is high, prices go up,” he said.
Opeifa explained that the decision to slash rail fares was taken following a directive by the Federal Government, adding that the NRC fully aligns with the policy as a public corporation.
“We are slashing our fares by 50 per cent. We would have loved to do it free, as we did before, but we learnt from that experience,” he stated.
He recalled that when free train services were introduced in previous years under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the initiative led to significant challenges for regular commuters.
“We noticed a lot of discomfort for regular train users. There were too many people, including what we call ‘jolly riders’—those who would ride from Lagos to Ibadan, spend time at the station, and even return on the same train, thereby depriving people who genuinely needed to travel,” Opeifa explained.
According to him, the NRC opted for a heavily subsidised fare instead, to strike a balance between affordability and orderliness
“This way, the common people can afford it, and even the elite benefit. Our hope is also that this will put pressure on other modes of transport to bring down their fares,” he added.
The NRC boss further assured Nigerians that rail services have been improved ahead of the festive rush, particularly in terms of passenger comfort.
“Sometimes people complain about restrooms. I can assure you that all our restrooms are like brand new and air-conditioned. Passengers can be rest assured of better service this season,” he said.