Investigation Bureau Blames Abuja–Kaduna Train Derailment On Poor Maintenance

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has identified poor maintenance and a faulty switch as being responsible for the Abuja–Kaduna train derailment at Asham Station on August 26, 2025.

NSIB preliminary findings as revealed on Wednesday, showed the derailment was triggered by defective infrastructure and lapses in safety management by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

The bureau stressed that the findings were preliminary and subject to further analysis. A final report is expected to provide deeper conclusions and additional safety measures.

The report showed that the derailment occurred shortly after the train passed a manually operated switch point previously declared unserviceable.
NSIB investigators uncovered that some of the track sleepers damaged during the earlier derailment about 13 months ago were only patched instead of being fully replaced, while the point clip used to secure the switch was broken at the time of the incident.
The report also highlighted that the train drivers were qualified but had only received initial training without formal refresher courses, and critical equipment such as CCTV cameras, communication devices, and clocks remained defective.

Operational and maintenance tools, including spare parts from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), were said to be largely inaccessible.

The NSIB further issued safety recommendations, urging the NRC to replace all compromised sleepers, install OEM-standard point switches along the Abuja–Kaduna route, and restore all defective monitoring equipment.

The report also recommended regular refresher training for NRC staff to prevent further accidents.
Recall that 21 passengers sustained injuries, while no lives were lost among the 618 people on board of the ill-fated train service.