Abstract
Rail transport in Nigeria has suffered decades of neglect due to ineffective management. However, in an attempt to keep pace with the rising mobility demands accompanying population and economic growth, while boosting productivity, the rejuvenation of the railways has in recent years, gained priority. This paper reviews the phased development of railways in Nigeria to expound the past and contemporary challenges that have hampered the growth of the sector, and further present prospects to promote the sustainable development of Nigerian railways. The study revealed that past abandonment of the railway sector in Nigeria, corruption, and insurgency have largely deterred the attractiveness of the sector to foreign investors. The nexus between the planned extension projects and the security dynamics in certain regions pose implications on peace-building and local criticisms. Notwithstanding, the strategic development of railways offers prospects in contributing to the socio-economic growth of the Nation, especially in penurious regions.
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Bassey, D., Ngene, B., Akinwumi, I., Akpan, V., Ibitogbe, E.M., Nnamani, G. (2022). Rail Transport in Nigeria: Sustenance-Bound Prospects. In: Folarin, S., Akinlabi, E., Atayero, A. (eds) The United Nations and Sustainable Development Goals. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95971-5_3
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