Information
Landmark: Nigerian Railway MuseumCity: Ibadan
Country: Nigeria
Continent: Africa
Nigerian Railway Museum, Ibadan, Nigeria, Africa
Overview
In Ebute Metta, Lagos, you’ll find the Nigerian Railway Museum-locals call it Jaekel House, after Francis Jaekel, the well-known superintendent who once oversaw the Nigerian Railway Corporation.The museum preserves the story of Nigeria’s railway, from its first iron tracks to modern trains.The Legacy Railway Museum, housed in the historic Jaekel House at 17 Federal Road, Ebute Metta, Lagos, began life in 1898 as the home of the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s General Manager; restored in 2010, it now welcomes visitors with exhibits that bring the country’s railway history to life, from gleaming old brass fittings to weathered station signs.The house, built in 1898, served as the official home for the NRC’s General Manager, its brick walls still carrying the quiet weight of that history.The house, named for Francis Jaekel-a key figure in the Nigerian Railway Corporation-stands as a lasting emblem of railway life in Nigeria, echoing both its colonial past and post-colonial chapters.Back in the 1970s, they turned it into a staff rest house, a quiet place with worn armchairs, before later transforming it into a museum.The museum opened its doors in 2010, dedicated to preserving and showcasing artifacts, photographs, and tools that tell the story of Nigeria’s railway-like the worn leather gloves once used by a station master.The museum showcases a vibrant mix of artifacts and displays tracing the story of rail transport in Nigeria, including a trove of photographs from the 1940s through the 1970s-images where steam engines gleam under the sun.These photographs reveal the faces, moments, and landscapes tied to Nigeria’s railway past, along with the changes that unfolded after independence.The museum displays a range of historical pieces, from worn railway tools and faded uniforms to sturdy equipment once used on the tracks.Among the items are dusty ticketing machines, brass lanterns, signal tools, and worn pieces from trains and engines once used in Nigeria’s railway operations over the years.Railway memorabilia includes relics that capture how trains shaped Nigeria’s society and economy, especially in the early years-like a weathered ticket from a 1920s journey.The displays also show how the Nigerian Railway Corporation connects the nation, drives trade, and helps cities grow-like trains pulling into a bustling market station.Lately, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, led by Managing Director Dr.Kayode Opeifa, has launched efforts to keep the museum a vital part of Nigeria’s cultural and historical story, from the scent of old timber in restored train cars to the tales etched in its archives.They’ve upgraded the museum’s facilities and worked to draw more visitors-new lights now warm the entry hall.That means pitching ideas for tour buses and filming documentaries that capture the clatter and steel of Nigeria’s railway heritage.The museum isn’t just a place to store history-it teaches Nigerians and visitors why rail transport matters to the country’s growth, with exhibits like the worn steel tracks that once linked distant towns.The museum’s open most weekdays during regular business hours, but it’s best to call ahead for exact times or to set up a group tour-especially if you’re hoping to linger in the sunlit atrium.It costs ₦1,500 per person to enter-call +234 802 363 8490 with any questions.The museum safeguards and shares the story of Nigeria’s railway system, a network that once carried goods, passengers, and the pulse of the nation’s early growth.The site offers a window into Nigeria’s historical infrastructure, welcoming students, researchers, curious travelers, and anyone eager to explore its old bridges and rail lines.Here’s the address: 17 Federal Road, tucked inside the Railway Compound in Ebute Metta, Lagos, Nigeria.It’s ₦1,500 to get in, and you’ll find photographs, old railway gear, and artifacts-one display even smells faintly of engine oil.At the Nigerian Railway Museum, you step into the story of the nation’s transport history, with gleaming steel tracks and weathered locomotives showing just how vital railways have been to Nigeria-then and now.
