The Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, has undergone a significant management reshuffle, barely 10 days after a train accident on the Kaduna-Abuja route injured 20 people, DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS reports
NRC’s Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, announced a sweeping reorganisation that includes the appointment, redeployment, and retention of district managers and senior officers across the corporation’s operational corridors, according to an internal memo from the firm obtained by our correspondent on Thursday.
DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS gathered that the shake-up, which took effect from September 1, 2025, is part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving operational efficiency, service delivery, and accountability within the corporation. Three new offices have been created as part of the restructuring: the Business Process, Efficiency and Due Diligence Desk; Customer Service Desk; and the Corporation’s Statistician Office.
It was gathered that the development is intended to strengthen business processes and customer engagement.
Key movements include the redeployment of the former Regional District Manager for the Western District, Ibadan, Nneka Ikwuka, who now serves as Coordinator for Freight Services, Lagos–Kano (Narrow Gauge).
Naomi Itajobi, previously Assistant Director of Procurement, has been named the new RDM for the Western District. In Minna, former RDM for the North-West District, Suleiman Obafunsho, has been posted to NRC Headquarters as Project Coordinator for the Lagos–Kano Narrow Gauge Rehabilitation. He will be succeeded by Ilesanmi Ayokunle, who was formerly Assistant Director of Track.
The Eastern District also witnessed changes, with Mr Victor Adanu moving from his position as RDM, Enugu, to the headquarters as Assistant Director, Train Monitoring and Control. Adanu is replaced by Agwonye Ejike, previously Chief Accountant.
In Lagos, Augustine Arisa has been reassigned as Coordinator, Locomotive Services and Maintenance, while Rasheed Adewale Adedeji, former RDM of the Northern District, Zaria, takes over as RDM, Lagos District. Aliyu Mainasara, who previously headed the North Eastern District, Bauchi, is now RDM for Zaria.
Mr Wilson Obada retained his position as RDM, North Central District, Bauchi. Meanwhile, Zirra Marcellinus, formerly Assistant Director of Operations, has been appointed RDM for the North Eastern District.
The Warri–Itakpe corridor also saw strategic reassignments, as former Coordinator of WITS, Abdulganiyu Sani, is also redeployed as Coordinator, Freight Services, Warri–Itakpe corridor. Wyep Najul, Assistant Director of Operations, now serves as Coordinator for the Warri–Itakpe Standard Gauge.
Mohammed Ibrahim remains as Manager of the Abuja–Kaduna Train Services.
Other notable appointments include Oyekunle Oyewole as Head of BUPED; Nma Odimkalu, Chief Internal Auditor, who now doubles as Coordinator, Freight SG Lagos–Ibadan; and Dennis Ujah, Chief Human Resource Officer (Protocol and Transport), who will also serve as Coordinator, Lagos Terminus Business District.
Additional roles were assigned to A.T. Quadri as Coordinator, Coach and Wagon; Rita Onyiagha as Corporate Head of the new Customer Services Desk; Hamza Abdulradak as Head, Customer Service WITS; and Dauda Akinola as the Corporation’s Statistician.
However, efforts to know if the reshuffling was in connection with last week’s accident yielded no result as neither the managing director nor the spokesperson of the corporation, Callistus Unyimad, responded to enquiries by our correspondent.
