Efforts to Revive the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service: Progress, Promises, and Struggles
By Muhammad Iskeel Abdullahi,
The scene at Idu Train Station in Abuja reflects an institution actively working to recover from a challenging year marked by a major derailment in August 2025. Visible repairs, coordinated efforts among staff, and a clear focus on restoration indicate that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is genuinely committed to revitalizing the Abuja–Kaduna train service (AKTS). However, while tangible progress is evident, deep-rooted structural issues ranging from limited rolling stock to funding constraints continue to hinder full recovery and long-term sustainability.
On the ground, substantial repair work is underway following the August 26, 2025, derailment at Asham, which involved a Kaduna-bound train with 618 passengers. NRC engineers successfully re-railed and recovered all affected coaches and locomotives shortly after the incident, moving them to workshops for comprehensive repairs.
One previously damaged locomotive has been fully restored and is poised to re-enter service, providing concrete evidence of measurable advancement. Mechanics, engineers, and technicians remain actively engaged in rehabilitating other accidented units, demonstrating a committed, hands-on recovery approach.
Service quality on the route has remained consistent in terms of passenger experience; clean coaches, reliable onboard amenities, and adherence to safety protocols, but the frequency has been impacted. Following resumption on October 1, 2025, operations typically run with two daily round trips (morning and afternoon departures from both Idu and Rigasa stations), with Wednesdays often dedicated to maintenance. This reduced schedule stems primarily from a shortage of operational locomotives rather than any intentional reduction in standards.
NRC management has indicated that adding a third daily trip is viable with the availability of a standby locomotive for redundancy, a critical measure to prevent disruptions from mechanical faults. Journey times, currently around three hours (depending on temporary speed restrictions post-derailment), were initially lengthened as a precautionary safety step.
Officials have stated that gradual reductions in travel time are expected as system confidence builds and repairs stabilize, potentially returning closer to the pre-incident average of about 2 hours and a quarter.
Management's projections suggest that enhanced frequency, optimized travel times, and improved reliability could be achieved by early 2026, assuming no major setbacks.
Recent initiatives, such as the nationwide 50% Yuletide fare discount in December 2025, have boosted passenger turnout, underscoring demand and operational capability when supported adequately.
Human resource development is another key area. NRC structures training into in-house, local outdoor, and international programs. Budgetary and logistical limitations have shifted reliance toward weekly in-house sessions to maintain core competencies, sponsored foreign training by CCECC and some few technical partners remain one of the only hope for foreign training.
While in house training is effective for immediate needs, this falls short of the expected, as there is need for more advanced, hands-on foreign training.
A report from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) following the 2025 derailment highlighted maintenance lapses, though NRC has contested some findings and implemented internal corrections.
The overarching challenge remains government funding, essential for any meaningful rail revival.
Capital-intensive requirements fleet expansion, spare parts procurement, infrastructure upgrades, and advanced staff training cannot rely solely on internal revenue or short-term fixes.
Inconsistent allocations have forced practices like parts cannibalization, where components are stripped from damaged units to keep others running. This offers temporary solutions but depletes the asset pool, exacerbating vulnerabilities over time.
Ticket access also demands urgent attention. Despite private sector controlled e-ticketing platforms and reduced trips at times, complaints of racketeering persist, with reports of touts and insiders hoarding tickets for resale at inflated prices. Such practices erode public trust, skew passenger data, and undermine revenue integrity. NRC has previously investigated similar allegations and increased service frequencies to mitigate this, but stronger enforcement and digital improvements are needed.
Fleet age is a defining long-term issue. Introduced primarily in 2016, the core rolling stock is now approaching a decade in service without new equipment acquisition to cnimplement aging ones and to support passengers increasing demands inline with global recommendations for replacement every 4 to 5 years in high-utilization environments (though some standards suggest major overhaul may be recommended).
This aging infrastructure impacts safety, reliability, scheduling flexibility, and growth potential.
In summary, progress at Idu and along the corridor is undeniable: repairs advancing, services resumed with enhanced safety checks, and clear timelines for improvements. Promises from NRC leadership are specific and tied to achievable milestones. Yet pitfalls abound limited redundancy, aging equipment, external training training gaps, funding shortfalls, and governance issues like racketeering.
True revival of the Abuja–Kaduna service demands more than NRC's dedicated efforts; it requires sustained government commitment through predictable funding, strategic fleet renewal, periodic refurbishment institutional reforms, and robust oversight.
Rail transport is inherently capital-intensive, and without shifting from episodic support to a long-term modernization plan, recovery will remain fragile.
Nigerians eagerly awaits the NRC management planned revitalization, restoration, expansion and modernization plans, as they promised to optimize existing infrastructure as well as improving customer experience. The wait is getting too long.
With consistent investment and policy clarity, however, the route can transition from cautious resumption to dependable, high-frequency service, restoring public confidence and unlocking economic benefits for northern Nigeria.
• By Muhammad Iskeel Abdullahi, is of the Journalists For Development
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