Power Failures, Booking Woes Hit Abuja–Kaduna Rail Service
Passengers on the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor have raised fresh concerns over repeated power failures, loss of air conditioning and lighting, as well as persistent ticketing challenges, deepening worries about service reliability on one of Nigeria’s busiest passenger routes.
Findings by the News Agency of Nigeria revealed that several commuters experienced mid-journey blackouts, with coaches plunged into darkness and excessive heat after an onboard power unit reportedly overheated.
Passengers said the disruptions occurred multiple times during trips, forcing attendants to temporarily shut down the electricity supply to cooling systems and lights. Some described alarming scenes in which train personnel were seen pouring buckets of water on an overheating unit to restore functionality.
According to the report, commuters initially believed the locomotive engine had malfunctioned. However, Mr Abubakar Bunma, Personal Assistant on Media to the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, clarified that the issue involved the power car rather than the engine.
He explained that the power car houses a generator responsible for running air conditioning, lighting and toilet facilities. When the generator overheats, it is temporarily shut down and cooled before the power supply is restored.
Beyond technical faults, passengers also decried ongoing ticketing bottlenecks. Many alleged that the online booking platform frequently becomes inaccessible, while others claimed tickets are unofficially resold at inflated prices or issued without seat numbers, resulting in confusion and overcrowding.
The reduction in daily trips following the 2025 rail accident has further tightened seat availability, particularly during peak weekend periods. Commuters said overcrowding, prolonged travel times and recurring service interruptions have gradually eroded public confidence in the rail service, once widely regarded as a safer alternative to the Abuja–Kaduna highway.
The Corporation maintained that tickets are generated with seat numbers automatically linked to passengers’ names and National Identification Numbers. It, however, acknowledged that occasional booking failures may debit passengers without issuing tickets, in which case trips could be rescheduled, or travellers allowed to stand where seats are unavailable.
Ticket racketeering allegationsinn the corridor are not new. In September 2024, the Minister of Transportation, Said Alkaki, ordered an investigation into complaints of ticket hoarding and resale. The then Managing Director of the Corporation, Mr Fidet Okhiria, was directed to set up a committee to address the matter.
Operational setbacks have also persisted. In August 2025, a Kaduna-bound train reportedly developed a “hot axle” fault near Rigasa Station, disrupting business class services. In the same month, another train derailed at Asham shortly after departing Abuja, while a separate derailment was recorded at Jeremy Station in May 2024.
With recurring mechanical faults, booking controversies and reduced service frequency, commuters say urgent reforms are needed to restore reliability and strengthen confidence in the strategic Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor.
