Lagos-Ibadan freight services
Minister flags-off freight train services on Lagos-Ibadan railroad
Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali has flagged off freight train services via the Lagos-Ibadan railroad for the movement of freight/containers from the Apapa Port, Lagos, to the container deport in the Oyo State capital.
According to the minister, the commencement of the freight services via rail is aimed at decongesting the Apapa Port, in addition to freeing up some Lagos major roads and bridges currently occupied with container trucks and causing traffic snarl.
The 157-km long Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Train, opened with 30 Wagons which took off to Moniya in Ibadan, which is the terminal point of the Lagos-Ibadan Train; the Lot Two of the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge.
Declaring the movement open at the APM terminal, Apapa, the minister who expressed delight at the project, also spoke on the Nigeria Customs Service scanner house blocking the rail track at the Apapa Port.
The minister said the freight train would operate on a single track temporarily pending when the customs scanner would be removed, disclosing that the ministry is interfacing with the Customs to remove the scanner.
“We have three trips for now, which amount to 90 containers, by the time we complete the three tracks, we will have to decongest Apapa Port of 270 containers being moved per day, which is huge.”
“We are using one line now but we have two others that stop before the Customs (scanner) building. The ministry is going to liaise with the Customs to remove their building and free the remaining two lines up to the end of the seaport and even enable the train to turn.
”We are going to begin to transport cargoes/containers from Apapa, Lagos on standard rail Guage while we transport from Ibadan to Kano on narrow Guage. It is not going to be from Lagos to Ibadan, but from Lagos to Kano. In the next three months, it is going to be seamless operations and I have directed the managing Director of NRC to do the cleanliness of the cottage to enhance the smooth operations.
For now, there’s going to be three trips on daily basis and each trip would transport thirty containers/cargoes at a go and this will make it ninety containers. And by the time we complete the remaining two rail lines to Apapa port, it would be times three of each trip”.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria said the agency has been working assiduously to ensure the aside the movement of passengers on the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor, cargo is also moved seamlessly in order to value more value to the economy.
“The visit of the minister has blessed us. We are loading a 30-wagon train to Ibadan. We have been on this for the past three weeks. 30 wagons have been loaded on the train from APM Terminal to either Papalanto or Moniya, Ibadan.
“We have facilities to move four but we are starting with three for now. We are using a temporary track but we are making a headway to ensure that the building gives way to make sure to have three lines that are expected at this terminal. In order not to wait eternally, we have done something to ensure something was done so that the tracks do not lay idle and we don’t give room for vandalisation.”
Also commenting, Executive Director, Bueno Logistics Limited, Jetson Nwankwo said the freight train initiative would address simultaneously the port congestion and trailers parking on major roads and bridges.
“What we want to achieve under your regime is to decongest Apapa Ports and all the flyovers that have container trucks littering all over. By the time we move three trains a day, Lagos would be free for a good ride. We are happy this is happening under your tenure,” Nwankwo said.
