The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged closer collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to strengthen transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s railway sector.
The Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RAAC), Lagos Office, Alexander Chukwumah, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, at the corporation’s headquarters.
Chukwumah stated that the ICPC is prepared to support the corporation through specialised training programmes for its workforce to help them identify and avoid practices that could expose them to corruption-related offences.
According to him, the initiative aligns with the Commission’s public education and enlightenment mandate aimed at encouraging Nigerians and public institutions to uphold integrity and shun corrupt practices.
He also urged the NRC management to work closely with the corporation’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), explaining that members of the unit have been trained to detect early warning signs and red flags that could help management prevent minor lapses from escalating into major institutional crises.
Chukwumah noted that the visit was also meant to strengthen the cordial relationship between the ICPC and the Nigerian Railway Corporation and to reciprocate the goodwill earlier extended by the NRC to the Commission.
“ICPC is committed to ensuring that NRC workers stay out of trouble. There are ways we can guide you and your team to avoid actions that could expose them to corruption risks”, he said.
Responding, the NRC Managing Director, Opeifa, welcomed the partnership and expressed readiness to work closely with the Commission to deepen transparency within the corporation.
He observed that the railway sector could have achieved even greater progress if corruption had not historically hindered development in the system.
Opeifa therefore requested the ICPC to organise a capacity-building programme for the corporation’s heads of departments and senior management staff to help them better understand potential pitfalls that could lead to errors of judgment in the course of their duties.
The NRC boss identified vandalism of railway infrastructure as one of the major challenges confronting the corporation, stressing that the destruction of critical railway assets continues to place pressure on operations and service delivery.
As part of efforts to discourage the menace, Opeifa presented anti-vandalism sweatshirts to the ICPC delegation bearing the inscription: “Rails and railway assets are critical national treasures and not scraps”.
He emphasised that the corporation maintains a strict internal disciplinary regime against collusion or sabotage, noting that any staff found culpable risks immediate dismissal.
Opeifa also commended the dedication of NRC staff, particularly engineers, whose commitment has ensured that railway services continue to operate despite operational challenges.
Speaking on the corporation’s long-term strategy, he reiterated the NRC’s Vision 2-5-10-20 development framework, designed to guide the modernisation and expansion of Nigeria’s railway system.
According to him, the first phase of the vision focuses on optimising legacy railway lines and reactivating abandoned corridors that once played critical roles in the nation’s economic development. Under this plan, he said the corporation is working towards the reactivation of the Kaduna–Nguru–Kaura Namoda corridor, with efforts underway to restore rail services to Zamfara State within the year.
He added that the corporation is also pursuing a freight-by-rail revolution through its “Railing with the States” initiative, enabling state governments to utilise railway infrastructure for economic development while improving connectivity between rail lines and the nation’s seaports.
Opeifa further disclosed that within the next five years, the corporation plans to begin transitioning from diesel-powered locomotives to cleaner energy sources such as gas, as resources permit, while working toward doubling Nigeria’s rail assets by 2035.