The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said that the Abuja–Kaduna passenger train service is set to resume operations this week.
This follows the successful completion of repair and safety checks on the affected section of track at Asham, the NRC said in a statement yesterday by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu.
The operator, however, said that further details on the official resumption date and schedule would be communicated in the coming days.
It explained that since the service was temporarily suspended after it derailed on August 26, 2025, the corporation had worked tirelessly to ensure both the infrastructure and rolling stock were restored to the highest safety standards in line with global best practices.
The NRC disclosed that as part of its commitment to passenger welfare, it had refunded 512 passengers out of the 583 on board the affected train.
“Efforts are ongoing to reach and process refunds for the remaining passengers to ensure that no one is left behind.
“The NRC appreciates the patience and understanding of our esteemed passengers and assures the general public that their safety, comfort, and satisfaction remain our top priority.
“We also acknowledge the invaluable support of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, security agencies, the media, and all stakeholders during this period of recovery,” it stated.
The derailment occurred along the Kaduna corridor shortly after the train left Abuja at about 11 am, en route to Kaduna.
A passenger on board the train described the scene as chaotic, with people scrambling to safety.
Following the incident, the NRC suspended train operations on the Abuja-Kaduna route till further notice.
During an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on August 27, the Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, took full responsibility for the incident.
Opeifa also said that the injuries of four of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers were serious.
On September 24, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said that its investigation into the incident revealed that poor maintenance and a faulty track switch were key factors behind the incident.
According to the preliminary findings, several sleepers at the station that had been damaged in a previous incident were only patched instead of being properly repaired.
Investigators also found that the automatic switch mechanism at the station’s crossing point was unserviceable at the time of the derailment, which is the second to occur at the same station within 13 months.
As a result, the switch had to be manually operated and secured using a point clip, which was later discovered to be broken. This compromised the integrity of the track alignment, leading to the derailment.
The report also noted that personnel of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had received only initial training with no formal refresher courses, raising further concerns about safety standards and preparedness.
Operational and maintenance tools, including spare parts from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), were reported to be largely inaccessible at the time of the incident.
