• Nigeria rail passengers rose to 929,553 in Q1 2025
• Passenger and freight revenues saw year-on-year increases
• Growth continues despite aging infrastructure and recent derailments
  

Nigeria’s railway network carried 929,553 passengers in the first quarter of 2025, up from 675,293 in the same period of 2024, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Passenger services generated ₦1.95 billion (about $1.3 million) in revenue during the quarter, compared with ₦1.42 billion a year earlier.

Rail freight traffic also grew, reaching 181,520 tons for the quarter, up from 160,650 tons a year earlier. Freight revenue totaled ₦657.03 million, compared with ₦607.32 million in the same quarter of 2024.

For the full year 2024, the rail system carried 3.1 million passengers, up from 2.1 million in 2023, while total cargo volumes reached 495,560 tons.

Although the figures show steady progress, analysts say overall volumes remain low compared with the network’s potential. The system continues to face challenges such as aging infrastructure, outdated rolling stock, and recurring accidents. In August, a derailment on the key Abuja-Kaduna line injured nearly 20 people and disrupted service for several weeks.

Henoc Dossa