NRC Suspends Warri–Itakpe Train Operations
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced a temporary suspension of operations on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), citing operational exigencies and technical advice from its engineers.
In an official statement released by the corporation’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the NRC explained that the decision was necessary to allow for critical operational assessments aimed at safeguarding passenger safety, ensuring reliability, and improving overall service delivery along the corridor.
According to the corporation, the temporary halt is part of broader efforts to address identified technical concerns and maintain safe railway services for the travelling public. The NRC did not specify the exact nature of the technical issues prompting the suspension, but stressed that the action was taken in the interest of passengers and rail operations.
“The temporary suspension became necessary to allow for critical operational assessments aimed at ensuring continued safety, reliability and improved service delivery,” Unyimadu stated.
The Warri–Itakpe rail line, spanning approximately 326 kilometres across Delta, Edo, Kogi, and parts of the North Central region, is one of Nigeria’s strategic standard gauge corridors. Commissioned for full commercial operations in September 2020 under the Buhari administration after decades of stalled construction dating back to the 1980s, the line was originally conceived to evacuate iron ore from the Itakpe mines to the Ajaokuta Steel Complex and onward to the Warri Port. It has since evolved into a critical passenger and freight route linking the South South to the North Central, easing pressure on the often dangerous Warri–Lokoja–Abuja highway corridor.
The corporation expressed regret over the inconvenience the suspension may cause commuters and other stakeholders, assuring the public that engineering teams were working to resolve the issues within the shortest possible time.
The NRC further indicated that passengers and intending travellers would be formally notified before the end of the week regarding the resumption date for normal train operations. The corporation also urged ticket holders and frequent users of the route to monitor its official communication channels for updates.
This latest development comes amid renewed national attention on the state of Nigeria’s rail infrastructure, with the Federal Ministry of Transportation continuing its push to expand and modernise the country’s rail network as part of broader efforts to ease road congestion, reduce highway fatalities, and stimulate economic activity along major industrial corridors.
The NRC has, in recent years, periodically suspended operations across various lines, including the Abuja–Kaduna and Lagos–Ibadan corridors, for maintenance, security upgrades, or rolling stock servicing. Industry observers have consistently noted that proactive maintenance suspensions, though disruptive in the short term, are essential to prevent the kind of catastrophic failures that have historically plagued Nigeria’s rail sector.
Reaffirming its commitment to providing safe, efficient, and customer friendly rail services nationwide, the NRC thanked the public for its understanding, patience, and continued support during the brief period of suspension.
The corporation gave no precise timeline for full resumption but emphasised that engineering assessments would proceed without delay.