Nigeria’s railway transport sector contributed N578.75 million to the economy in 2023, with activity concentrated in six states, according to new figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to the states’ gross domestic product (GDP) data on railway transport by NBS, only six states recorded contributions.
The data also showed that Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna, and the federal capital territory (FCT) accounted for over three-quarters of the national railway GDP.
Lagos led with N268.31 million (46.4 percent), followed by Oyo with N63.96 million (11.1 percent), while Kaduna and FCT contributed N55.50 million each, representing 9.6 percent.
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Other contributing states in 2023 are Delta, with N28.55 million (4.9 percent), and Kogi, with N28.55 million (4.9 percent).
Further analysis showed that some states that contributed in the previous year recorded zero in 2023.
The states include Yobe, Delta, Abia, Rivers, Kano, and Niger.
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Many others, including Adamawa, Edo, and Taraba, had no recorded output during the year.
On June 7, Kayode Opeifa, managing director (MD) of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), said the federal government would soon announce a major railway expansion plan, with new lines connecting multiple cities nationwide.
According to Opeifa, the new railway lines will appear in more cities “than we have ever seen”.
The MD also said the government is developing rail infrastructure across regions, with plans almost ready for the south-west and progress in the south-east and north-east.
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