NRC Earned ₦1.95bn from Train Passengers in Q1 2025 – NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) generated ₦1.95 billion in revenue from passenger services in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 — a 37.36 percent increase compared to the ₦1.42 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.

The figures, released in the NBS Rail Transportation Data Report on October 5, show that 929,553 passengers travelled by train between January and March 2025, up by 37.65 percent from 675,293 passengers in Q1 2024.

According to the report, rail freight also saw a steady rise, with 181,520 tons of goods and cargo transported during the period — an increase from 160,650 tons recorded in Q1 2024. Revenue from freight services climbed by 8.19 percent to ₦657.03 million, compared to ₦607.32 million in the previous year’s first quarter.

Additionally, other receipts from services such as leasing, station fees, and sundry income surged to ₦115.68 million — representing a significant 355.39 percent rise from ₦25.40 million in Q1 2024.

For context, the NBS noted that in Q4 2024, the NRC transported 1,037,113 passengers, generating ₦1.92 billion in passenger revenue — a notable increase from ₦1.07 billion in Q4 2023.

However, freight revenue in Q4 2024 declined slightly by 7.46 percent, from ₦423.22 million in Q4 2023 to ₦391.64 million, while ₦8.93 million was earned from 1,260 tons of goods moved through pipelines. Other receipts during the quarter stood at ₦434.44 million, up by 10.34 percent from ₦393.72 million in Q4 2023.

The NBS stated that the steady growth in passenger traffic and revenue underscores increasing public confidence in Nigeria’s rail transport network, supported by continuous investments in infrastructure and service improvement by the Nigerian Railway Corporation.