The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has revealed how some Nigerians hoard e-tickets and sell them to second-hand buyers. This is coming few weeks after Nairametrics reported Nigerians’ lamentations over the hike in train fares due to the hoarding of e-tickets.

How does it work?

Nigerians allegedly game the new e-ticketing system as they buy multiple tickets (using multiple e-mails) and resell them to second-hand buyers. But the name of the original buyer will not tally with the second buyer, you ask?

Findings of the corporation revealed that this is taken care of by the original buyers, as they use an app to digitally alter the name printed on the e-tickets to reflect the second-hand buyers’ names.

This was revealed by the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Tolu Ogunlesi, via his Twitter handle on Friday.

He tweeted, “NRC says Nigerians trying to game the new e-ticketing system are using an app to digitally alter the name printed on the e-tickets. So they buy multiple tickets (using multiple emails) and then resell – altering ticket names to match the second-hand buyers.

“This tweet is not to suggest that the authorities are helpless or are not doing anything to stay ahead of criminals, instead to show just how desperate some of the people we inhabit this space with can be.”

NRC says Nigerians trying to game the new e-ticketing system are using an app to digitally alter the name printed on the e-tickets. So they buy multiple tickets (using multiple emails) and then resell – altering ticket names to match the second-hand buyers.

— tolu ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) April 9, 2021

What you should know

On March 16, 2021, Nairametrics published a special report that revealed how Nigerians lamented over the recent hike in train fares, which many of them said was illegal.

Aside from the difficulties and over 100% hikes in the fares, most of the victims, who spoke with Nairametrics, urged the Federal Government through the Rotimi Amaechi led Ministry of Transportation to investigate the allegations and expose the activities of the desperate individuals involved in the menace.

A Software Engineer, Segun Mustapha, told Nairametrics that he was not surprised when he read about the activities of the black market operators on Twitter. Though, he admitted that he had not experienced such but called on the Rotimi Amaechi led Ministry of Transportation to ensure such activities are removed from the system.

He said, “It should not be a big deal for the government to do if it has the political will to do such. We used to experience similar situations in the aviation industry before now and that was easier because airlines are operated by private firms.

“It is a system failure because it is not the louts selling at exorbitant rates that were booking the tickets online but we should not allow such to linger. Government should ensure that tickets booked online are not reallocated at the station if it is determined to get rid of the black market operators.”

Read the Nairametrics report here.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has urged that passengers intending to travel should arrive at airports earlier particularly those at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja due to built-up vehicular traffic occasioned by an increase in passenger traffic.

FAAN disclosed this in a statement on Friday titled, “Vehicular Traffic: FAAN advises passengers to get to airports early.”

READ: Trouble looms as FAAN threatens to withdraw services at airports

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria wishes to advise passengers and airport users, particularly those at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to get to the airport early so as to complete their check-in procedures in good time and avoid the unpleasant experiences associated with missing their flights,” they said.

FAAN disclosed that it has become necessary, as passengers are likely to go through a little delay at the entrance to the terminals, due to built-up vehicular traffic occasioned by an increase in passenger traffic being witnessed presently.

READ: FAAN denies allegation of stolen N750 million, admits breach of procurement process

In case you missed it

• Nairametrics reported that Airfares across Nigeria have increased by as much as 100%. Ticket fares to cities like Port Harcourt, Ilorin, and northern states like Kebbi, Borno, Adamawa and Kano have increased by as much as 100% in the last month.
• The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the sum of N10.5 billion to supply Airport Management Solution to Nigerian international airports at Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.