Nigeria’s rail revenue from passengers hit ₦6.7b in 2024 as traffic rebounded above 3million

Key Takeaways

  • 2020 marked the lowest point for both passenger volume (1.02 million) and revenue (₦1.7 billion), reflecting the full impact of COVID-19 lockdowns.
  • Strong recovery followed in 2021, with passenger numbers jumping to 2.71 million and revenue surging by 226% to ₦5.6 billion.
  • 2024 was the best-performing year, recording ₦6.7 billion in revenue and 3.14 million passengers, a clear sign of renewed public confidence in rail transport.
  • Q1 2025 (₦1.9 billion revenue, 929,000 passengers) suggests steady ridership levels but moderate momentum compared to the 2024 surge.

Nigeria’s rail transport sector has shown resilience and gradual modernization, bouncing back strongly from the disruptions of 2020. Passenger numbers and revenue have followed a similar trajectory, collapsing during the pandemic but rebounding as services resumed and routes expanded. From 1.02 million passengers and ₦1.7 billion in 2020, the system climbed to over 3 million passengers and ₦6.7 billion in 2024, its best performance in six years. This parallel growth underscores the increasing economic relevance of rail as both an affordable travel option and a growing revenue stream within Nigeria’s transport network.

Source:

National Bureau of Statistics

Period:

2019 - Q1 2025
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