An Assessment of the Geometric Growth of Railway Transport in Nigeria. A Literature-based Study from 1970 and 2016

Abstract

Rail transport offers a huge benefit to Nigeria’s socio-economic activities because of its capacity to pull huge volumes of freight and convey large numbers of passengers. Despite these, commerce and socio-economic cohesion have been badly affected as road transport still dominates in overland transport. The revitalization of the rail mode towards economy recovery has suffered greatly since the 1970s. This study examines the spatiotemporal development of the railways in Nigeria. The methodology comprises longitudinal research design spanning over 30 years, from 1970 to 2016. The study reveals the spatiotemporal influence of rail transportation on the spatial development of localities and cities by attracting passengers, cargoes, and revenue receipts. The findings reveals also that rail transportation is experiencing a remarkable transition but has not attained the optimal level in rail development and performance across the country. Therefore more investment and better management are still needed.