The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has denied allegations of ticket racketeering on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), insisting that it does not resell train tickets and warning passengers against purchasing tickets from unauthorised agents.
The corporation’s response followed a viral social media video by Instagram blogger Faizah Raji, who accused the NRC of deliberately creating artificial ticket scarcity on the route to facilitate the resale of tickets through agents at exorbitant prices.
In the video, shared on her Instagram story under the handle @wearegst, Raji alleged that she purchased a ticket from an agent at twice the official price after failing to secure one through the corporation’s electronic ticketing portal.
However, in a statement issued by its management, the NRC said Raji’s experience did not justify her allegations against the organisation. It described her conclusions as misleading and potentially damaging to its reputation.
According to the corporation, Raji had acknowledged that the NRC warned prospective passengers to purchase tickets exclusively through approved electronic platforms but proceeded to patronise an agent after failing to obtain a ticket through the portal.
The NRC maintained that passengers who disregard its warnings and purchase tickets from third parties do so at their own risk.
It also clarified that the electronic ticketing system operates under a public-private partnership arrangement, with different concessionaires responsible for ticketing services across the standard-gauge rail corridors.
The corporation said SecureID/TPS handles ticketing for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service, Global Software Digital Solutions (GSDS) manages the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, while Fane Warri-Itakpe Ticketing Solutions Ltd. oversees the Warri-Itakpe Train Service.
According to the NRC, the concessionaires were approved by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Federal Executive Council before 2023.
The corporation further explained that measures had been introduced to curb ticket racketeering following the 2022 attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train. These measures included requiring passengers to provide their National Identification Number (NIN) when purchasing tickets.
It said some individuals had devised ways to obtain multiple NINs or exploit identity details to purchase tickets for resale to unsuspecting passengers.
To address the problem, the NRC introduced an additional identity-verification process in 2025, requiring passengers to present a personal identification card before boarding, alongside verification of the NIN used to purchase their tickets.
The corporation explained that its ticketing and verification system is linked to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database. This enables officials at Idu and Kubwa stations in Abuja and Rigasa station in Kaduna to retrieve the photograph associated with the NIN used to purchase a ticket.
According to the management, the process helps identify passengers attempting to travel with tickets purchased using another person’s identity details.
However, the NRC acknowledged that weaknesses in the access-control system at Rigasa station had occasionally allowed individuals linked to ticket scams to overwhelm security personnel.
The corporation said the additional verification procedure was introduced to strengthen controls and prevent passengers from boarding trains with tickets obtained through fraudulent means.
While acknowledging that demand for rail transportation had increased significantly, the NRC said passenger demand currently exceeds available capacity by more than tenfold, creating a substantial imbalance between ticket supply and demand.
It said the electronic ticketing concessionaires had been directed to improve access to their platforms and ensure that the ticket-purchasing process complied with established protocols.
The corporation reiterated that its responsibility was to facilitate passengers’ access to train services, rather than buy or resell tickets. It added that it maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards ticket racketeering.
It warned that any NRC employee found participating in or colluding with ticket racketeering would face disciplinary action.
The management also urged passengers to obtain tickets through approved channels and comply with identification requirements. It stressed that purchasing tickets through unauthorised intermediaries could expose travellers to fraud and denial of boarding.
The statement, signed by the NRC Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, on behalf of the management, reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to improving customer service and providing safe, affordable, reliable, and convenient rail transportation across the country.
