The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has issued a firm directive to senior railway officials, prohibiting any unauthorised transactions involving the corporation's landed assets.
Internal Memo Exposes Illegal Activities
This warning was communicated through an internal memo dated December 18, 2025, with reference number MDL.360/25/T/VOL.1-062, which was obtained by The Guardian newspaper. The memo revealed that the NRC management discovered some officers were illegally involved in the leasing, allocation, and general dealings of the corporation's landed property.
The communication was specifically addressed to Railway District Managers in Ebute Metta, Ibadan, and five other districts. It was also copied to several key directorates including Procurement, Legal, Commercial, Human Resources, Mechanical and Engineering, Operations, and Finance.
Strict Approval Process Reinforced
The memo alleged that these activities were being carried out without proper documentation or official approval from the office of the Managing Director or the Chief Executive Officer. It categorically stated that the authority to approve, clear, or lease any NRC landed property rests strictly and solely with the Managing Director.
Dr Opeifa explicitly declared that no Railway District Manager is permitted to engage in any form of transaction, allocation, or disposal of NRC property. Such actions require explicit written approval from the MD's office, which must be directed to the Managing Director of the Railway Property Management Company Limited (RPMCL).
Background of a Long-Standing Dispute
This latest directive comes against the backdrop of a protracted disagreement earlier in the year. Some concerned members of the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NUR) and the Senior Staff Association of Communications Transport Co-operation (SSACTAC) had clashed with the management of NRC Properties Ltd.
The dispute centred on allegations of the illegal sale and conversion of the corporation's property in several states, particularly in Northern Nigeria. While the union members claimed the properties were unjustly converted, the property management company insisted that due process was followed.
The workers' groups took their grievance further by jointly petitioning both the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Kano State government. They stated that this issue had been ongoing for a staggering 17 years, from 2006 to 2023.
Dr Opeifa's memo represents a clear attempt to centralise control and curb these alleged malpractices, reinforcing that all property dealings must flow through the highest office to ensure transparency and accountability within the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
