The acting Director General, Infrastructure Construction Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Mike Ohiani, has stated that the federal government is expected to generate over N12.4 billion within the next four years courtesy of the introduction of e-ticketing solution on the Lagos-Ibadan standard train service.
He also added that over N9.6 billion will be generated from the Warri-Itakpe standard train service within the period under review.
Ohiani at the official Outline Business Case (OBC) presentation on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Train Service and the Warri-Itakpe Standard Train Service to Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in Lagos, said the overall scope of the project is for the designing, financing, building, operation, managing the secured e-ticketing solution hardware and software for passenger station on Lagos-Ibadan standard train service and the Warri-Itakpe.
He said the e-ticket solution will make traveling experience for passengers very easy, adding that in the comfort of passengers’ homes they can purchase their tickets, while also pointing out that it would also provide security services and promote efficiency in rail transportation.
“We are here this morning to provide the certificate showing that the project is bankable and starting from Monday, we will secure a credible concessionaire that will manage the e-ticketing solution. We want to assure Nigeria that once this project is concluded, they will get efficient services and there will be improvement in the nation’s railway transportation system,” he added.
Earlier, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Fidet Okhiria, said since the introduction of e-ticketing, revenue generation has gone up drastically either by encouraging users to use the train as leakages have been blocked while the fear of ticket racketeering has also reduced by the e-ticketing and its technology.
“It cannot be perfect in one day as we are reviewing it on daily, weekly and monthly basis to try to improve on what we are doing,”he added.