UPDATED: Christmas: Nigerian govt announces free train ride for 15 days

"...there will be free train services to all Nigerians from the 20th up until the 5th of January," the minister said.

The Nigerian government has announced free train rides on all federal trains from 20 December to 5 January.

The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, announced this at the end of Monday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council.

“…there will be free train services to all Nigerians from the 20th up until the 5th of January,” the minister said.

All Nigerian passenger trains are publicly owned, and most are owned and operated by the federal government through the Nigeria Railway Corporation.

However, train services are far behind road transportation as the popular means of transport among Nigerians.

Mr Idris did not say how his government would fund the free service, but it will be welcomed by commuters who are grappling with high transport costs after the removal last year of a popular petrol subsidy.

The minister said the free train ride is consistent with President Tinubu’s desire to cushion the effect of government policies on transportation costs, especially for the most vulnerable Nigerians.

Last year, the president also approved free train rides during the Christmas and Sallah periods.

The railway networks connect multiple cities across the country. While the Abuja railway line connects with Kaduna State, the Lagos network connects with Ogun, Oyo and Osun states.

Meanwhile, the Itakpe-Warri railway line is a 276-kilometre railway line that links Warri in Delta State to Ajaokuta in Kogi State.

Mr Idris also announced that the Federal Executive Council will be on recess from the 18th of this month until the 6th of January, meaning there will be no federal executive council meetings during that period.