Rail Transportation and Economic Security Implications in Nigeria’s South Eastern Rail Lines
This study investigated the economic security implications of rail transport operations in Nigeria, with specific focus on the present rail transport system in South East Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted, which supported the use of primary data obtained from the study sample of 124 and 276 respondents in Enugu and Port Harcourt clusters respectively. The study conducted the pre-test test reliability testing of the research instrument, while the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) statistical regression analysis was adopted to determine the significant effect of the present rail transportation operations on the economic security in south east Nigeria. The findings of the study established that the present rail transport operations in south east have negative effect on economic security, as there is a threat to economic opportunities resulting from loss of both direct and indirect jobs that a well-functioning rail transport system provides. Train services in the south east at the moment are mostly limited to Port Harcourt in Rivers State and Aba in Abia State while Enugu which is the administrative headquarters only coordinates operations without enjoying the actual rail services. The study recommends a complete revitalisation of rail infrastructure in the south east, repeal of the Nigeria Railway Act of 1955 to allow private sector funding, rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge eastern rail lines in the interim, to enable it resume services covering Port Harcourt to Maiduguri in the north east.
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