The Nigerian government earlier announced free train rides on all federal trains from 20 December to 5 January.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, made this announcement at the end of Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.
All Nigerian passenger trains are publicly owned and primarily operated by the federal government through the Nigeria Railway Corporation.
Nigerian government holiday train services
Despite this, train services lag behind road transportation as the most popular means of transport among Nigerians.
Although Mr. Idris did not specify how the government would fund the free service, it is expected to be welcomed by commuters who are grappling with high transport costs following the removal of a popular petrol subsidy last year.
The minister explained that the free train ride initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s desire to cushion the impact of government policies on transportation costs, particularly for the most vulnerable Nigerians.
Last year, the president also approved free train rides during the Christmas and Sallah periods.
The railway networks connect multiple cities across the country. The Abuja railway line connects with Kaduna State, while the Lagos network links with Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states.
Additionally, the Itakpe-Warri railway line, a 276-kilometre railway, connects Warri in Delta State to Ajaokuta in Kogi State.
Mr. Idris also announced that the Federal Executive Council will be on recess from the 18th of this month until the 6th of January, meaning there will be no federal executive council meetings during that period.
Tinubu Takes Action as Children, Women Died in Abuja
Previously, Legit reported that President Bola Tinubu has announced the suspension of all official outings in Lagos on Saturday, December 21, including the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta.
Tinubu’s action was to honour the victims of stampedes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Anambra state.
