The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that Nigeria’s railway transport sector contributed N578.75 million to the economy in 2023, with activity concentrated in six states.
The NBS, which made this disclosure in its new figure just released, said the states’ gross domestic product (GDP) the data on railway transport, only six states recorded contributions.
According to the data, Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna, and the federal capital territory (FCT) accounted for over three-quarters of the national railway GDP.
The data added that Lagos led with N268.31 million (46.4 percent), followed by Oyo with N63.96 million (11.1 percent), while Kaduna and FCT contributed N55.50 million each, representing 9.6 percent.
Other contributing states in 2023, according to the data, are Delta, with N28.55 million (4.9 percent), and Kogi, with N28.55 million (4.9 percent).
Further analysis of the data revealed that some states that contributed in the previous year recorded zero in 2023, and the states include Yobe, Delta, Abia, Rivers, Kano, and Niger.
According to the data, many others, including Adamawa, Edo, and Taraba, had no recorded output during the year.
Recall that on June 7, 2025, Managing Director (MD) of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Kayode Opeifa said that the federal government would soon announce a major railway expansion plan, with new lines connecting multiple cities nationwide.
According to Opeifa, the new railway lines will appear in more cities “than we have ever seen”.
The MD also said the government is developing rail infrastructure across regions, with plans almost ready for the south-west and progress in the south-east and north-east.
