The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) recorded a freight volume of 169,060 between July and September 2026, although cargo movement declined sharply by 24.7 per cent in September compared to the preceding month, according to the corporation’s operational data.

The data given by Mr Yemi Odunowo, Deputy Director of Marketing and Commercial at the Nigerian Railway Corporation, revealed that freight movement fell from 61,980 in August to 46,640 in September, representing a decline of 15,340 in cargo volume within one month.

The downturn came after freight activity had risen from 60,440 in July to 61,980 in August, indicating that the improvement recorded in the second month of the quarter was not sustained into September. The figures present a mixed picture of the corporation’s performance during the third quarter, with passenger traffic recording more than one million journeys even as freight movement weakened considerably towards the end of the three-month period.

The NRC transported a total of 1,075,023 passengers between July and September, with passenger traffic rising from 345,942 in July to 363,261 in August and 365,820 in September, according to the data.

The September freight figure represented a 24.7 per cent decline from August and was approximately 22.8 per cent below the quarter’s monthly peak of 61,980 recorded in August. It was also the lowest monthly freight volume recorded during the three-month period. A breakdown of the figures showed that standard-gauge freight services accounted for 166,180, or approximately 98.3 per cent, of the total 169,060 freight volume recorded during the quarter while narrow-gauge freight services contributed the remaining 2,880, all of which was recorded in July.

No narrow-gauge freight movement was recorded in August and September, according to the data.

“Standard-gauge freight volume stood at 57,560 in July, increased to 61,980 in August and subsequently dropped to 46,640 in September,” the data stated.

Further analysis of the figures showed that performance varied across the different freight categories, with some services recording improvements in September while others suffered considerable declines.

“Containers recorded the highest quarterly freight volume among the listed standard-gauge freight categories, with 41,840 over the three months. Its volume stood at 14,280 in July, declined to 13,200 in August and rose to 14,360 in September, representing an increase of approximately 8.8 per cent over the preceding month.” The data indicated.

CCECC Track Access recorded a total of 26,640 during the quarter, with its monthly volume rising gradually from 8,800 in July to 8,880 in August and 8,960 in September.

However, other categories recorded weaker results. Bueno Cement posted a quarterly volume of 37,260, comprising 13,800 in July, 12,420 in August and 11,040 in September. Its September performance represented a decline of approximately 11.1 per cent compared with August.

“Bueno Gypsum recorded 13,260 during the quarter, with monthly volumes of 4,080 in July, 6,420 in August and 2,760 in September. The September figure was approximately 57 per cent lower than the preceding month.

“Eromma recorded a total of 12,120 over the three-month period, with volumes of 3,920 in July, 4,440 in August and 3,760 in September. Starlink accounted for 8,440, while Depotter recorded 6,000 during the quarter.

“The differences in the monthly figures indicate that the overall freight contraction was accompanied by varying performances across the corporation’s cargo categories, with some services sustaining their activity while others experienced significant reductions,” the date explained.

The data also showed that standard-gauge freight movement under the APMT traffic section totalled 115,660 during the quarter, comprising 39,680 in July, 43,140 in August and 32,840 in September.

The September figure represented a decline of approximately 23.9 per cent from August, broadly reflecting the downturn recorded in the wider freight segment.

“Within the APMT section, Ajuba Containers accounted for 41,840 during the quarter, while CCECC Track Access contributed 26,640. Bueno Gypsum recorded 13,260, while Eromma accounted for 12,120,” the data stated.

The data further showed that the freight category specifically listed as APMT recorded 2,400 in July and 7,200 in August but no volume in September. Diamond Star recorded 640 in July and 240 in August, with no movement reported in September.

Although these figures point to variations in activity across individual categories, the data alone do not establish the reasons for the changes or whether they resulted from customer demand, service arrangements, operational constraints or other commercial considerations.

While freight movement declined sharply in September, passenger traffic maintained a positive trajectory throughout the quarter, with the NRC recording 1,075,023 passenger journeys between July and September.

Passenger traffic rose by approximately five per cent between July and August and increased by a further 0.7 per cent in September, when 365,820 journeys were recorded.

The data showed that standard-gauge passenger services accounted for 473,935 journeys, while narrow-gauge services contributed 601,088.

The Lagos–Ibadan Train Service recorded 357,410 passenger journeys during the quarter, making it the largest contributor among the standard-gauge passenger services listed in the report. Its monthly figures stood at 106,494 in July, 133,652 in August and 117,264 in September.

The Abuja–Kaduna Train Service recorded 85,489 passenger journeys during the period, while the service listed as BATTS in the report accounted for 30,762.

Within the narrow-gauge segment, the service listed as MTT recorded 481,381 passenger journeys, while the Aba–Port Harcourt–Aba service accounted for 97,506. Jos MTT recorded 22,201 passengers during the quarter.

The passenger figures suggest that demand for rail transportation remained substantial during the period, even as the corporation’s cargo operations experienced a setback in September.

The report’s service-frequency figures provided further insight into the freight downturn. Standard-gauge freight services recorded 48 movements in July, 54 in August and 42 in September, bringing the quarterly total to 144.

The number of recorded freight movements therefore fell by approximately 22.2 per cent between August and September, broadly tracking the reduction in cargo volume over the same period. (The Sun)