Cargo Containers Movement By Rail Resumes At Lagos Ports

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The Managing Director of Inland Containers Nigeria Limited, ICNL, Ismail Yusuf has disclosed that the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC has resumed the movement of cargo containers from the ports to the Kano and Kaduna Inland Dry port.

NRC suspended the movement of containers by rail from Apapa ports last year for rehabilitation of the railway tracks.

Yusuf, however, told journalist in Lagos that close to 40 containers have been moved so far, adding that an additional 40 empty containers have been returned through same mode to Lagos from the Kano and Kaduna Dry Port, which is a subsidiary company of ICNL

According to him “As you know that Federal Government is encouraging the Nigerian Railway Corporation to ensure movement of cargo from the sea port to the hinterland and this is very critical to our Kano bonded terminal and Kaduna Inland Dry Port, which is our subsidiary company

“The management of ICNL and Kaduna Dry Port has led the management of the railway corporation to discuss the modalities of how they can come back to life. We thank God that our request has been acceded to and this is the outcome of our discussion

“Presently, they have supplied us with two rails for the last two weeks. We have moved about 40 containers, and this will continue every fortnight until we attain maximum capacity.

“The number of containers being moved also depends on availability of locomotives, and as long as we have enough cargo to load. We have started from somewhere: from one to two rails, and from there we can increase it to four or five rails.

“We are talking with NRC on how we can increase the capacity to meet the yearnings of customers who want to use the services of the rail corporation. Time spent on the movement is a minimum of 48 hours and maximum of 72,” Yusuf said.