March 12, (THEWILL) — Nigeria’s rail transport system recorded a decline in passenger traffic but an increase in cargo movement in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the latest data released on Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The bureau reported that a total of 940,476 passengers travelled through the rail system in Q4 2025, compared to 1,037,113 passengers recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2024, indicating a 9.32 per cent year-on-year decrease.
However, the volume of goods and cargo transported by rail increased during the same period. The NBS data showed that 110,480 tons of cargo were moved in Q4 2025, higher than the 94,750 tons recorded in Q4 2024.
A further breakdown of the statistics showed that passenger movement in 2025 stood at 929,553 in Q1, 989,793 in Q2, 1,028,839 in Q3, before dropping to 940,476 in Q4. In contrast, passenger traffic in 2024 was 675,293 in Q1, 689,263 in Q2, 743,205 in Q3, and 1,037,113 in Q4.
For cargo movement, the rail system transported 181,520 tons in Q1 2025, 210,570 tons in Q2, 130,540 tons in Q3, and 110,480 tons in Q4. Comparatively, 160,650 tons were transported in Q1 2024, 143,759 tons in Q2, 96,401 tons in Q3, and 94,750 tons in Q4.
In terms of revenue, the rail system generated ₦7.78 billion from passenger services in 2025, compared with ₦6.72 billion in 2024, while cargo services generated ₦2.29 billion in 2025, up from ₦1.95 billion recorded in 2024, reflecting increased freight activity on the rail network.
The data highlights the growing importance of rail freight operations in Nigeria’s transportation sector, even as passenger traffic fluctuates across different quarters.
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