The Nigerian Railway Corporation in collaboration with APM Terminals has officially launched an expanded cargo rail service from Apapa Port in Lagos to the Moniya Freight Yard in Ibadan, Oyo State.
This initiative aims to enhance logistics efficiency, increase rail transport capacity, and provide a more sustainable and cost-effective solution for cargo movement, thereby decongesting the Apapa port.
The Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa,
reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the rail system under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, vowing to explore every avenue to ensure its success.
Opeifa, emphasized the significance of this development, stating that the container traffic is scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Each train trip will carry 35 wagons of 40-foot containers or 70 wagons of 20-foot containers, or a combination of both sizes.
Recall Opeifa and the CEO of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, finalized the modalities for the freight operations last Thursday, setting the stage for the expanded cargo movement between Apapa Port and Moniya, Ibadan.
He said, “I am delighted to officially welcome you to the flag-off of container movement from Apapa to Moniya in Ibadan on the standard gauge rail. Though NRC and APM Terminals have a long history of doing business with container traffic to places in the hinterland of Nigeria such as Kaduna and Kano, it is mainly on the narrow gauge lines.
“However, container traffic movement by rail on the standard gauge in and out of APM Terminals to Moniya freight yard in Ibadan commenced on September 2023 with the likes of Bueno Logistics and Transco Africa Logistics blazing the trail among other customers using the single ‘transitional line’ in APMT.
“Two additional lines are at an advanced stage of completion in APMT which will bring the total lines within the APMT standard gauge corridor to three lines.”
In his remark, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr Pius Akutah agreed that the development will lead to the decongestion of the port terminals.
He also urged the government to invest further in the rail system to enhance trade and economic growth.
He said, “We at the NSC understand that rail transport happens to be the cheapest and safest when it comes to trade. Recall that this time last year, the NSC and the NRC signed a Memorandum of Understanding to look into the possibility of developing a rail transport system to support trade.”
Akutah praised President Tinubu for his commitment to developing infrastructure that enhances trade facilitation.
