The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it plans to establish gas plants to enable it to migrate to the use of electricity for its operations.
The Managing Director of the corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, said this during a tour of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) facilities on Monday in Lagos.
Freedomonline reports that the tour began from the Blue Rail Line at Marina to the National Theater Train Station where the NRC team inspected the Blueline Independent Power Plant.
The team also toured Mile 2 Train Station.
Opeifa said that the plants would be used to supply electricity to power trains.
“Our future plan is to create plants that will be powered by gas and plants that will supply us with electricity to power our trains just like LAMATA is doing.
According to Opeifa, one of the reasons NRC visited LAMATA is to see how LAMATA has been able to shift to the use of electricity.
“In another five years, we are looking at migrating the national rail line to start using electricity.
“As partners, we talk with each other, and beyond that, we feel we need to share practical experiences.
“Lagos State Government has pioneered cleaner energy, and it is what we want to share with other states as we progress with the national rail system development,” he said.
He added that NRC would be getting experiences from LAMATA in the area of security, energy and ticketing system as well as frequency.
“This is the only train in Nigeria that has that level of frequency; so, we need to share experiences on how it is being done.
“We have our own directors and that of LAMATA that have been talking before now on the way forward.
“This will be followed with a courtesy visit where LAMATA and NRC will sit down with the governor of Lagos to discuss further,” he said.
On the use of cowry card, Opeifa noted that NRC was already digitalised as regards its ticketing platform, but said that, for its mass transit train, NRC would be introducing cowry card.
Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, Managing Director of LAMATA, reiterated the authority’s determination to provide seamless transport train services for Lagos residents.
“LAMATA is about team work and the vision to deliver good public transport services that align with the government position in its THEMES Plus Agenda,” she said.
