NRC orders Abuja–Kaduna staff retraining, approves 95% pay rise as part of reforms to improve safety and rebuild trust after derailment. Photo Credit: NRC
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced a four-day mandatory refresher training for all Abuja–Kaduna Train Service staff and confirmed a long-awaited 95 per cent salary increase, to be implemented before the end of 2025.
The measures, according to NRC Managing Director Dr. Kayode Opeifa, are part of wider reforms to strengthen safety, rebuild public trust, and boost staff morale following the August 26 derailment that injured 20 passengers.
Safety First
Speaking after a meeting with staff at Idu Station on September 19, Opeifa said the refresher programme, beginning Monday, September 22, will sharpen operational knowledge and ensure strict compliance with safety directives.
“The investigation re-emphasised the importance of adhering to caution orders,” he said. “This training will prepare our staff to prevent lapses as services resume.”
NRC 95% salary increment
On welfare, Opeifa confirmed that the long-awaited 95% salary increment has been approved and will take effect before year-end. He, however, cautioned locomotive drivers and other workers against issuing strike notices, stressing that “strike actions cause disruption to national service delivery and derail progress.”
NRC Refresher training
The refresher training and salary adjustments follow a series of reforms launched after the August derailment. On September 1, the NRC reshuffled key management positions, created new offices, including a Business Process and Efficiency Desk, Customer Service Desk, and Statistician’s Office and strengthened accountability structures across operational corridors.
Industry experts note that the Abuja–Kaduna corridor, one of the busiest and most strategic in Nigeria, has faced both security and operational challenges. The NRC’s renewed focus on safety training, welfare, and structural reforms is seen as essential for restoring confidence in rail transport.
“The reforms underway will create a stronger, more accountable corporation,” Opeifa said. “We are determined to keep services safe, reliable, and efficient.”
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