The National Bureau of Statistics says Nigeria’s rail sector earned ₦1.95 billion from passengers in Q1 2025.
It recorded over 929,000 passengers, showing a 37% increase in traffic and revenue from 2024.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) earned ₦1.95 billion in passenger revenue in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 a 37.36% increase from the ₦1.42 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.
According to the NBS Rail Transportation Data Report released on October 5, a total of 929,553 passengers travelled by train between January and March 2025, representing a 37.65% rise from 675,293 passengers in the first quarter of the previous year.
The report also showed that rail cargo movement continued to expand, with 181,520 tons of goods transported in Q1 2025, compared to 160,650 tons in Q1 2024. Earnings from freight services rose by 8.19%, reaching ₦657.03 million, up from ₦607.32 million recorded in the same period last year.
Other receipts, which include income from services such as leasing, station charges, and sundry payments, amounted to ₦115.68 million, a significant jump of 355.39% from ₦25.40 million in Q1 2024.
In comparison, the Bureau noted that the NRC conveyed 1,037,113 passengers in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, an increase of 54.29% from 672,198 passengers recorded in Q4 2023. Passenger revenue for that quarter rose to ₦1.92 billion, up from ₦1.07 billion in the same period of 2023.
However, revenue from freight transport in Q4 2024 slightly declined by 7.46% dropping from ₦423.22 million in Q4 2023 to ₦391.64 million. The report added that ₦8.93 million was realized from the movement of 1,260 tons of goods through pipelines during the same quarter.
Meanwhile, other income for Q4 2024 climbed to ₦434.44 million, indicating a 10.34% increase from ₦393.72 million recorded in Q4 2023.
The NBS stated that the steady rise in passenger numbers and revenue reflects growing public confidence in the country’s rail network, boosted by ongoing infrastructure upgrades and service improvements by the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
