The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has pledged stronger collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to reinforce transparency and accountability in the nation’s railway sector.
The Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RAAC), Lagos office, Mr Alexander Chukwumah, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, on Wednesday at the corporation’s headquarters.
Chukwumah said the ICPC was willing to support the corporation by providing training programme for its workforce to help them identify and avoid practices that could expose them to corruption-related offences.
According to him, the initiative forms part of the commission’s public enlightenment mandate aimed at encouraging Nigerians and public institutions to uphold integrity and avoid corrupt practices.
He urged the NRC management to work closely with the corporation’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit.
Chukwumah noted that members of the unit had been trained to detect early warning signs and red flags that could help management prevent minor lapses from escalating into major institutional crises.
He said the visit was intended to strengthen the cordial relationship between the ICPC and the NRC as well as reciprocate the goodwill previously extended by the NRC to the commission.
“ICPC is committed to ensuring that NRC workers stay out of trouble. There are ways we can guide you and your team to avoid actions that can expose them to corruption risks,” he said.
Responding, Opeifa welcomed the partnership and expressed readiness to work closely with the commission to deepen transparency within the corporation.
Opeifa noted that the railway sector would have recorded even greater progress if corruption had not historically hindered development in the system.
He, therefore, requested the ICPC to organise a capacity-building programme for the corporation’s heads of departments and senior management staff to help them understand the pitfalls that could lead to errors of judgment in the course of their duties.
Opeifa identified vandalism of railway infrastructure as one of the major challenges confronting the corporation, stressing that the destruction of critical railway assets continued to place pressure on operations and service delivery.
As part of efforts to discourage the menace, Opeifa presented anti-vandalism sweatshirts to the ICPC delegation with the inscription, ‘rails and railway assets are critical national treasures and not scraps’.
He emphasised that the corporation maintained a strict internal disciplinary regime against collusion or sabotage, noting that any staff found culpable risked immediate dismissal.
Opeifa also commended the dedication of the NRC staff, particularly the engineers, whose commitment had ensured that railway services continued to operate despite operational challenges.
Speaking on the corporation’s long-term strategy, he reiterated the NRC’s Vision 2-5-10-20 development framework, designed to guide the modernisation and expansion of Nigeria’s railway system.
According to him, the first phase of the vision focuses on optimising legacy railway lines and reactivating abandoned corridors that once played critical roles in the nation’s economic development.
Under this plan, he said the corporation was working towards the reactivation of the Kaduna–Nguru–Kaura Namoda corridor, with efforts underway to restore rail services to Zamfara State within the year.
He said the corporation was pursuing a freight-by-rail revolution, strengthening its “Railing with the States” initiative to enable state governments utilise railway infrastructure for economic development.
Opeifa disclosed that the corporation planned to begin transitioning from diesel-powered locomotives to cleaner energy sources in the next five year, while working towards doubling Nigeria’s rail assets by 2035.
