Metro
NRC plans e-ticketing for Lagos-Ibadan train service
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is planning to introduced e-ticketing for travelers who use the Lagos-Ibadan train.
This was disclosed by corporation’s Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.
He said the corporation had recorded progress in the Kaduna-Abuja train service after deploying the e-ticketing platform, hence its resolve to introduce same in the Lagos-Ibadan and the Itape-Warri train services.
He explained that the move would reduce interactions between staff and passengers; and also address allegations of ticket racketeering.
He said, ”E-ticketing is the way to go. We have started and we have made significant progress in Kaduna -Abuja train service and we are also working on the Itape-Warri and Lagos-Ibadan and it is at a very advanced stage.
“I think the next stage is closing by next Monday. With the ICRC (Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission) guiding us, I think we hope to deliver that very soon; maybe by March. The e-ticketing will be introduced on the other routes except the narrow gauge.
READ ALSO: NRC nets N1.08bn in three months, as Nigerians increase spendings on railway transport
”With the e-ticketing, interactions with people will reduce, you buy your ticket and you don’t have any reason to interact with anybody and with the ticket you can have access to the train.
”Right now in Abuja, that frequent trouble that we used to have has gone down, but being who we are, people still try to find a way not to use the electronic platform.
”They will come and meet staff and approach people who they think may have tickets to sell to them and yet they will be shouting ticket racketeering.
”So, we think the electronic platform is the way to go and we want to encourage Nigerians on that.”
By Oluwatobi Odeyinka
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.