Ibadan — The South West Development Commission (SWDC) has secured a provisional rail operating and track access licence from the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), marking a significant milestone in efforts to revive and expand rail transportation across the South-West region.
Announcing the development to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday, SWDC Managing Director/CEO, Dr Charles ‘Diji Akinola, described the licence as a major transition from planning to actual implementation.
The licence authorises the commission to operate both passenger and freight services on existing narrow and standard gauge rail corridors connecting major communities, industrial hubs, and economic centres across the six South-West states — Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti.
“This licence is not just a document. It is the green light to rebuild the South-West’s economic spine on rail,” Dr Akinola said.
He explained that the development will support the launch of the South-West Rail, Agro-Industrial & Logistics (SW-RAIL) Platform — a comprehensive regional initiative designed to integrate freight systems, agro-logistics, industrial parks, inland logistics hubs, cold-chain infrastructure, port connectivity, and passenger mobility.
“We are moving from plans to tracks, from talk to trains. Our partnership with the NRC will put freight on rails, people on trains, and opportunity back into the hands of businesses and communities across the South West,” he added.
According to Akinola, the SW-RAIL initiative is expected to drastically reduce logistics costs, improve freight efficiency, enhance agricultural market access, boost export competitiveness, expand industrial activity, and create thousands of jobs.
The commission plans to ease the burden on highways by providing a more reliable rail alternative for manufacturers, farmers, exporters, and logistics operators, while strengthening connectivity between Apapa and Tin Can ports and key inland hubs.
The model will be partnership-driven, welcoming collaboration with state governments, private investors, logistics firms, and international infrastructure partners.
This rail initiative follows the earlier launch of TransComs, SWDC’s cluster-based development programme focused on transforming rural communities through agriculture, housing, enterprise development, and youth employment. Both programmes align with the commission’s vision of a ‘One Bloc Economy’ for the South-West.
The development has been welcomed as a strategic step toward regional economic integration and infrastructure-led growth in Nigeria’s South-West.
