The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed plans to collaborate with the Southwest Development Commission (SWDC) to reactivate the Osogbo-Dagbolu-Erunmu and Idogo railway lines for freight.
This development was conveyed in a statement issued by the NRC on Thursday.
The Corporation noted that the lines will be used for freight movement, transporting agricultural produce from southwest towns to Lagos markets and returning consumer goods to the interior.
SWDC Managing Director, Mr
Charles Diji Akinola said the commission was particularly focused on reviving these lines, which he described as essential for enhancing regional trade and food distribution.
He explained that, in the short term, SWDC plans to operate some of the old unserviced routes on a profit-sharing basis, with certain subsidy considerations to support local farmers and encourage agricultural production.
“The SWDC Managing Director, Charles Diji Akinola, had earlier said the Commission was fired by the extensive work of DAWN in the area of infrastructure and rail transportation development in the six states of the southwest, adding that regional rail connectivity is key to the economic revitalisation of the southwest.
The statement read in part: “While noting that the commission’s rail infrastructure development is divided into short, medium and long term, Akinola said on the short term, SWDC seeks to have some old unserviced routes in the southwest ceded to it to operate on profit sharing basis.
“In particular, Akinola said the commission is interested in reactivating the Osogbo-Dagbolu-Erunmu route, while the Idogo route would also be key in ensuring food security.”
Akinola also outlined the commission’s medium-term objectives, which include securing operational and track access licenses for new routes, attracting private sector investors, constructing warehouses along the corridors, and building new rail spurs to connect all southwest states to the national rail network.
He noted that the plans build on previous work by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, which had advanced master planning for regional rail development in the six southwest states.
NRC Managing Director Dr. Kayode Opeifa said the corporation is committed to partnering with SWDC, federal agencies, and private sector stakeholders under programmes such as the Track Access Programme and Railing With the States, which enable sub-national entities to utilize national rail corridors.
He added that NRC directors have been instructed to work with SWDC’s technical team to develop the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) necessary to operationalize the lines.
The NRC-SWDC joint team also visited Lagos Iddo Terminal, currently under renovation, and Mobolaji Johnson Station at Ebute Metta to assess facilities and plan upgrades along the reactivated routes.