Abuja–Kaduna Train Passengers Decry AC, Lighting Failures Mid-Trip

Passengers travelling on the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor have raised fresh concerns over recurring technical faults that leave coaches hot and dark during trips.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, several commuters said they experienced repeated shutdowns of air conditioning systems and cabin lights while en route. The disruption, they explained, was linked to issues with the train’s onboard power supply unit.

The Abuja–Kaduna service, widely considered a safer alternative to the highway between Abuja and Kaduna, has in recent years struggled with operational and booking-related challenges.

What passengers experienced

Commuters told NAN that cooling systems and interior lighting would suddenly go off mid-journey, plunging coaches into darkness and leaving passengers to endure intense heat.

Some travellers also alleged that attendants had to manually cool an overheated power unit before restoring electricity to the affected coaches. Each shutdown reportedly slowed the train’s movement, extending travel time.

There were additional claims of mechanical strain, with passengers describing what they perceived as repeated overheating during the journey.

However, in response to the reports, Mr Kayode Opeifa’s media aide clarified that the issue did not involve the locomotive engine itself. According to him, it was the separate power car, which houses a generator responsible for air conditioning, lighting and onboard facilities, that required cooling when it overheated.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) explained that attendants sometimes shut down the generator briefly to prevent further damage before restoring services.

Booking headaches and overcrowding

Beyond the technical faults, passengers also voiced frustration with ticketing.

Some travellers complained that the online booking platform frequently crashes or shows tickets as sold out within minutes. Others alleged unofficial resale of tickets at inflated prices and cases where passengers were issued tickets without seat numbers, resulting in confusion and overcrowded coaches.

The NRC maintains that its e-ticketing system automatically assigns seats linked to passengers’ names and National Identification Numbers. It acknowledged, however, that failed transactions can occasionally debit accounts without generating tickets. In such cases, affected travellers may have their trips rescheduled or, depending on availability, be allowed to travel standing.

Reduced train frequencies following incidents in 2025 have also pushed up demand, particularly on weekends.

A history of recurring issues

Ticket racketeering allegations are not new. In September 2024, then-Minister of Transportation Said Alkaki ordered an investigation into complaints of ticket hoarding and inflated resale prices. Former NRC Managing Director Fidet Okhiria was tasked with setting up a review committee.

Operational faults have also disrupted services in the past. In August 2025, a Kaduna-bound train experienced a hot axle problem near Rigasa Station. The same month, another train derailed at Asham shortly after departure. Earlier, in May 2024, a derailment occurred at Jeremy Station.

For many commuters, the latest reports risk further denting confidence in one of Nigeria’s busiest rail routes, a line that once symbolised a safer, faster way to travel between Abuja and Kaduna.

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