Rail licence not for new track construction – SWDC

The South-West Development Commission has clarified that its rail licence is for operations on existing rail tracks, not for the construction of new ones in the South-West.

The SWDC, in a statement on Tuesday, said the clarification followed interpretations that the licence was approval to build new rail tracks across the region.

Last week, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SWDC, Charles Akinola, announced that the commission had secured a provisional rail operating and track access licence from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, paving the way for SWDC-led passenger and freight rail services across existing rail corridors in the South-West.

Akinola explained that the licence was not for the construction of new rail lines, but for operating passenger and freight services on existing rail corridors linking communities, businesses, industrial hubs and economic centres across the South-West.

While acknowledging the public interest and excitement that greeted the grant of the provisional licence, the commission stressed on Tuesday that it was only authorised to operate passenger and freight rail services on existing rail tracks.

The statement read, “The South-West Development Commission acknowledges the public interest and excitement following the grant of a provisional licence to operate passenger and freight rail services in the South-West.

“We note that the licence has been misconstrued in some quarters as authorisation to construct new rail infrastructure. This is incorrect.

“The provisional rail operating and track access licence issued by the Nigerian Railway Corporation authorises SWDC to provide services on existing narrow and standard gauge rail corridors in the region. The licence does not extend to the construction of new rail tracks.”

The commission emphasised that the latest development would form the foundation of the South-West Rail, Agro-Industrial and Logistics platform.

It noted that the SW-RAIL platform was designed to “optimise existing infrastructure to cut transportation costs, improve logistics efficiency, strengthen agro-industrial development, enhance passenger mobility and create jobs across the region.”

The commission promised further updates on the project and urged members of the public to rely on official SWDC channels for authoritative information on its programmes and projects.

The SWDC is a federal agency established in September 2025 to drive infrastructure development, economic growth and poverty reduction across the six South-West states.

Headquartered in Ibadan, it serves as a regional catalyst coordinating development and infrastructure projects.

Olawale Franklin Akinselure is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with 12 years of experience covering education, politics, health, environment, judiciary, metro, and community beats. He specializes in producing insightful, wide-ranging reports that inform and engage readers. His reporting reflects practical newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a dedication to accurate, reliable journalism.