Nigeria’s transportation sector has reached a new milestone as the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) launches cargo freight services on the Lagos-Ibadan Railway.
This development is set to enhance logistics efficiency, reduce road congestion, and boost economic activities along the corridor.
According to nairametrics.com, the announcement was made on Friday through the official X account (formerly Twitter) of John Zhao, CCECC’s representative in Nigeria.
The inaugural journey, leveraging a cross-border rail transport model, commenced at the Ajuba Bonded Terminal, where cargo was transported to Apapa Port in Lagos.
Upon arrival, the goods were unloaded, and import containers were efficiently loaded for the return trip to the Ajuba Terminal, establishing a seamless and fully integrated logistics cycle for both import and export operations.
“CCECC recently launched its self-operated railway freight service in Nigeria with the inaugural run of a cargo train on the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, marking the official commencement of commercial freight operations.
“Utilizing a cross-border rail transport model, the train departed from the Ajuba Bonded Terminal and transported cargo to Apapa Port in Lagos. After unloading, it loaded import containers for the return journey and arrived at the Ajuba Terminal, establishing a seamless full-cycle bidirectional logistics chain for both import and export goods,” Zhao’s post read.
The launch of CCECC’s cargo freight service on the Lagos-Ibadan Railway follows the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s (NRC) recent approval of a 3-year operational license granted to CCECC.
What you should know
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted a three-year license to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to operate freight services on the Lagos-Ibadan standard-gauge railway line. Effective from October 14, 2024, to October 13, 2027, this authorization enables CCECC to provide public goods carriage along the critical rail corridor.
This license represents a major milestone for Nigeria’s rail sector as CCECC becomes the first company to receive authorization for standard-gauge rail freight services in the country.
- Constructed by CCECC and officially launched in June 2021, the Lagos- Ibadan Railway spans 157 kilometers with an additional 7-kilometer branch line. Built to modern railway standards, the line supports speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, seamlessly connecting Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, to Ibadan, a key industrial city in the southwest.
- By March 5, 2024, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway had operated safely for 1,000 days, transporting over 2 million passengers, according to CCECC’s website. The company has also provided extensive operational support, including technical assistance and workforce training programs.
Additionally, in February 2025, the NRC and APM Terminals Apapa relaunched the Apapa-Ibadan standard-gauge freight rail service. This service operates on a fixed schedule with departures every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, further boosting freight logistics along the rail corridor.
