Eastern rail line may be ready before 2027 — NRC MD

By Seun IbiyemiThe Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has expressed confidence that the Federal Government will complete the reconstruction of the Eastern Railway line before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s first term in 2027.Dr Opeifa shared this view during his familiarisation visit to the Eastern District of the corporation in Enugu on Thursday, where he underscored the government’s commitment to restoring what was once Nigeria’s most vibrant rail corridor.“Though the corridor has suffered due to years of neglect, the President is eager to see its return to operation, and we are optimistic that it will be completed before 2027,” Opeifa said.

He noted that mobilisation for works was imminent, although the project’s timeline remains contingent on weather conditions and the timely release of funds. He explained that there is an existing contract for the rehabilitation of the line from Port Harcourt to Enugu, and steps were underway to activate it.“There are arrangements to revive the track from Port Harcourt to Onne and from Aba to Enugu.



These plans are already in motion. The funding bottleneck that slowed down progress has now been resolved,” he said.Dispelling recent reports, Opeifa firmly denied allegations that construction efforts had been redirected from the Eastern District to Gombe State.

He clarified that legally, a contract cannot be relocated to a different location, calling such an act a “financial offence”.Addressing concerns about NRC properties in Enugu, Opeifa stated that the Railway Properties Management Company had not sold off any land, but rather leased it to generate revenue for the corporation. However, he acknowledged issues arising when properties were unlawfully acquired.

“When these lands are taken over by unauthorised persons, it becomes a problem. We will take steps to reclaim such properties,” he said, adding that any structures erected on rail tracks would be demolished and urged encroachers to vacate voluntarily.On the matter of the demolition of NRC training facilities by the Enugu State Government, Opeifa said discussions were ongoing to resolve the dispute amicably.

He also assured junior staff on Grade Level 6 that training schools across the country would soon be revitalised, allowing them to receive necessary certifications for career progression.“It is unfair for any staff member to remain stagnant in their grade level for years. We are working to ensure the training infrastructure needed for advancement is restored,” he said.

Opeifa also used the occasion to call on citizens to view railway assets as vital national infrastructure, not as scrap materials. He warned against the illegal sale of disused rail equipment, describing those involved in such activities as fraudsters.“Anyone trying to purchase railway equipment as scrap is engaging in fraud, and those found culpable will face consequences.

Obsolete assets can be recycled appropriately, but they are not for private disposal,” he said.He commended the governments of Abia and Enugu States, along with the Nigeria Police Force, for their support in safeguarding railway infrastructure within the region.The Eastern rail corridor project, which was launched in March 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was structured to be financed through 85 per cent foreign loan and 15 per cent federal government counterpart funding, with an initial two-year delivery target.

While the federal government’s contribution has facilitated work on the Port Harcourt–Aba segment of the over 2,000-kilometre corridor, much of the route remains untouched. Critics have raised concerns about the removal of old tracks without a clear replacement strategy.Additionally, the Eastern corridor received a narrow-gauge upgrade—unlike the more modern standard-gauge lines being constructed in the South-West and North-West.

The route stretches from Port Harcourt through the South-East, Middle Belt and North-East, culminating in Maiduguri, Borno State.The post Eastern rail line may be ready before 2027 — NRC MD appeared first on Nigerian NewsDirect..