FG Begins Rehabilitation Of Eastern Rail Corridor — NRC

The Federal Government has commenced the long-awaited rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern railway corridor, starting from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Aba in Abia State, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

Mr. Victor Adamu, the Railway District Manager for the NRC’s Eastern District in Enugu, confirmed the development on Wednesday in response to a national survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the status of abandoned railway lines across the country.

Adamu revealed that the narrow gauge railway line, which stretches from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri in Borno State, is being restored in phases, with Port Harcourt to Aba as the first segment to be completed and functional.

“We now have trains running from Port Harcourt to Aba and back, five days a week,” Adamu said. “The segment of the contract was officially handed over to NRC on November 28, 2024.”

The Eastern District, he noted, covers Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers, and part of Egbede in Benue State, which marks the boundary with the North Central district.

Adamu credited the renewed momentum to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stating that ongoing federal efforts are targeted at reviving long-abandoned rail infrastructure in the Southeast and beyond.

While confirming a temporary suspension of work from Aba through Umuahia to Enugu, the district manager expressed optimism that construction will resume shortly.

“This is a project that the Southeast and other parts of the country will benefit from,” he said. “The Federal Government is doing a lot to see that the rail lines are working again.”

He added that in April 2025, NRC Managing Director, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, visited Enugu and held strategic meetings with the governors of Abia and Enugu, discussions he believes will accelerate the project’s next phase.

Adamu also disclosed that a new policy introduced by the current administration enables state governments to invest in railway infrastructure, a move that is already gaining traction in Anambra, Abia, and Enugu States.

“With this, I believe that very soon, we will start seeing the dividends from these policies,” he added.

Vandalism Remains A Major Threat

Despite the progress, Adamu lamented the destructive impact of vandalism, describing it as NRC’s biggest challenge, especially regarding track materials and station facilities.

To curb these attacks, the corporation has been collaborating with the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), military, and local vigilante groups to safeguard critical infrastructure.

“There have been arrests of suspected vandals in Imo, Rivers, and Enugu States, and many are currently facing trial,” Adamu stated.

He urged citizens to take ownership of public infrastructure, stressing that protecting the railway is a shared responsibility.

NAN recalls that railway operations had been dormant in Enugu for over two decades, marking this revival effort as a significant milestone in reconnecting the region to the national rail grid.