The Port Harcourt to Aba rail line is billed to commence full operations by the end of March.

This was made known by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, who was on an inspection visit to the facility in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Okhiria said the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) handling the project have assured the NRC that by the end of March, travellers would be able to travel to and from Aba by train.

He further said there are plans to link the Onne Port to the rails for the movement of goods to Aba, Umuahia, and Enugu.

“What I can tell Nigerians is that we were able to ride on a train, unlike last time when we went by road to Aba. We went on a train to Elelewa because we had other things to do,” he said.

“We looked at the Port Harcourt Port and see how we are going to access Onne from Elelewa. We did that and compared it to make they had put on ground as a preliminary design. Physical siting will make us make a quick decision on a final design so that we will able to recommend to the minister for approval.

“We just finished a meeting now and the timeline and everything. We are putting pressure that by the end of March, we should be able to start. That is what we have in mind.”

Also, Okhiria touched upon the topic of transport fares, noting that the steep rise in diesel costs might necessitate an increase in fares for commuters compared to previous rates.
He explained that if the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) is unable to cover the full cost of fuel, it would aim to recover at least 50% of these costs from passenger fares to maintain operational sustainability.

Furthermore, he added that the condition of the roads would be evaluated to cover at least 50% of those costs as well.
He also highlighted the government’s efforts in collaboration with relevant security agencies to ensure the safety and security of the railway lines. This includes the integration of security devices on the trains with the control room to enhance monitoring.

Additionally, Okhiria issued a warning to traders accustomed to operating along the rail lines, stating that trains would no longer decelerate to allow the removal of goods before passing.
He stressed that the trains would adhere to a strict schedule, operating at fixed times across the country’s rail network, to improve the efficiency and reliability of the service.