The Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, in collaboration with APMT, has flagged off the commencement of the expansion of container traffic on standard gauge from Apapa Port Lagos to Moniya freight yard in Ibadan, Oyo State, for improved services.
The ceremony was held on Monday amid fanfare and had in attendance the management team of NRC, led by the Man hiaging Director, MD, Dr. Kayode Opeifa; the management team of APMT, led by the MD, Mr Fredrik Klinke, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr. Akutah Pius, the Lagos Port Manager Mr. A. Lawal, Comptroller Ehomobor, representing the Comptroller General, CG of the Nigeria Customs Service, the representative of the commissioner of Police, Apapa Port, customers, members of the business community, unions and labour associations in the maritime industry, security agencies.
Opeifa commended APMT for the giant stride in business expansion and for the confidence reposed in NRC, noting that APMT is one of the biggest customers of NRC with a long history of container business relationships that date back to decades on the narrow gauge lines to cities like Kano and Kaduna, among others.
He also lauded the support of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS and Nigerian Shippers Council in the long-standing collaboration.
Opeifa informed the stakeholders present that container traffic is scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with each train carrying 35 wagons by 40 feet or 35 wagons by 20 feet containers or a mixture of both sizes.
He stressed that the Federal Government avowed commitment to revitalizing and modernizing the NRC for an efficient and effective transportation system.
Opeifa impressed it that the project is a milestone in the renewed hope agenda of the President Bola Tinubu administration, as one of the surest ways to bring down the cost of goods, improve the standard of living, contribute to ease of doing business and impact on multidimensional poverty in a positive way.
Earlier, the MD of APMT welcomed the guests to the historic occasion, which signaled a step forward in the transportation system in Nigeria through the partnership between NRC and APMT.
The movement of containers by rail from Apapa Port, Lagos, to Moniya in Ibadan, Oyo State, was expected to save time and eliminate stress.
In his remarks, Pius commended the NRC and APMT for the bold initiative meant to complement government efforts to improve the ease of doing business in the country.
The NCS representative commended the NRC and APMT for their wonderful collaboration and pledged the support of the CG and its entire service to the project.
The highlight of the event was the ceremonial raising of the yellow and black flag of the NRC, which means movement by Opeifa assisted by Akutah at the APM Terminal in Apapa Port Lagos. After that, the two locomotives with CBX-loaded containers began their journey to Moniya Ibadan freight yard, Oyo State.
