The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has graduated no fewer than 86 trainees from the Railway Technical Institute (RTI), Ebute-Metta, Lagos, under its collaborative skills acquisition programme with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
Describing the ceremony as a clear demonstration of the Corporation’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment, workforce development, and national growth, the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, assured the graduands of employment opportunities, noting that they have been equipped with the requisite hands-on skills to thrive in today’s competitive labour market.
Dr. Opeifa emphasized that the Railway Technical Institute, established in 1924, occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s technical manpower development landscape. He noted that for over a century, the institute has remained a hub for training artisans, technicians, and skilled personnel in railway operations, mechanical systems, and related technical fields.
“Today, we proudly celebrate 86 graduands who have successfully completed rigorous training in diverse disciplines including electrical installations and maintenance, electronics engineering, welding and fabrication, refrigeration and air-conditioning, and automobile mechanics. Other areas include carpentry and joinery, computer engineering and ICT, fashion design and tailoring, painting and decoration, as well as printing technology,” he stated.
The NRC boss further reiterated Management’s commitment to repositioning the institute into a modern, efficient, and commercially viable centre of excellence capable of driving national economic integration, industrial growth, and logistics efficiency.
“We are engaging relevant regulatory authorities and stakeholders to reposition the institute through curriculum enhancement, infrastructure upgrade, faculty development, and strategic partnerships with both local and international institutions. Efforts are ongoing to align our training programmes with global realities in railway technology, energy transition, and transport innovation,” he added.
He urged the graduands to uphold the values of excellence, professionalism, innovation, and integrity as ambassadors of both the Railway Technical Institute and the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr. Abiola Arogundade, who was represented by the Head of Strategy, Dr. Abiola Isikalu, commended the NRC for repositioning the institute. She noted that vocational and technical education remains a critical pathway for youth engagement in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG and EV), Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, congratulated the NRC and the RTI on the graduation of the 2024 and 2025 sets. He reaffirmed the initiative’s commitment to sustaining its partnership with the Corporation in promoting clean energy solutions.
“Our collaboration will continue to focus on advancing natural gas adoption, reducing fuel costs, and fostering a cleaner environment, all of which require a highly skilled technical workforce,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, Professor Clement Olusegun Kolawole, expressed the institution’s pride in partnering with the NRC and RTI in manpower development and logistics training.
Earlier, the Principal of the Railway Technical Institute, Mr. Kelechi Raphael Nosike, described the graduation ceremony as a landmark event in the history of the institute, noting that the graduands successfully completed a three-year craft training programme across various technical trades.
He commended the NRC Management for its sustained commitment to upgrading the institute into a higher institution of learning and aligning its programmes with national development priorities.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of certificates of excellence to outstanding graduands, including Mr. Fadayomi Olamide Andrew, Best Graduating Student of the Class of 2024, and Mr. Taiwo Ayomide, Best Graduating Student of the Class of 2025.
