Why Warri-Itakpe Rail Must Return As Businesses Battle Rising Transport Costs
By BLESSING AGWE ODUGO
Rail Suspension Raises Fresh Economic Concerns
A former seafarer, Dickson Igbruke, has urged the Federal Government to resume the Warri-Itakpe Train Service to help reduce transportation and logistics costs for businesses.
Igbruke made the call against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address, in which the President highlighted roads, railways and ports as key infrastructure for connecting production centres with markets.
Tinubu said the Federal Government was building and completing transport infrastructure to lower the cost of producing and moving goods.
Rail as an Alternative to Road Transport
According to Igbruke, the Warri-Itakpe corridor could support that objective if the service operates efficiently.
He described the railway as an important component of an integrated transport system, particularly for moving people and goods over long distances.
Moreover, he said the rail connection could reduce pressure on highways by providing businesses with an alternative means of transporting goods and services between production centres and markets.
That alternative, he argued, has become more important as businesses contend with high road transportation costs.
Igbruke therefore called for the restoration, proper maintenance and effective operation of the rail service.
Derailment Halted Operations
The Warri-Itakpe service has remained suspended since a derailment on June 8 near the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station at Owa-Oyibu in Agbor, Delta State.
In its preliminary investigation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation identified the possible sudden development of a bogie or wheel defect while the train was moving as a likely primary factor in the accident.
The NRC later said the affected track had been recovered and restored.
However, the corporation indicated that service resumption would depend on the completion of a detailed safety audit covering the track and railway equipment, as well as the reconditioning of the locomotives.
Connecting Regions & Markets
The Warri-Itakpe corridor provides a rail connection between the South-South and North-Central regions.
Consequently, its operation has implications for both passenger mobility and cargo movement.
For businesses, an effective rail alternative could help diversify transportation options. It could also reduce dependence on road haulage for some categories of long-distance movement.
Igbruke said the effectiveness of transport infrastructure should ultimately be assessed by how efficiently it moves people and goods while reducing delays and the cost of doing business.
A Wider Transport Network
The call for the railway’s resumption also fits into the broader transport strategy outlined in the President’s Independence Day address.
Tinubu linked roads, railways and ports with efforts to connect farms and factories to markets. He also highlighted investment in storage and transportation alongside agricultural measures such as mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming.
In that context, the Warri-Itakpe corridor represents one part of a wider transportation network.
Igbruke urged the Federal Government to ensure that the rail line is fully integrated with road and port infrastructure when operations resume.
He also called for adequate maintenance and safety measures before, during and after the coming yuletide period.
For businesses and consumers, the central issue remains whether a reliable multimodal transport system can translate infrastructure investment into lower movement costs and more efficient access to markets.
