This was a fairly popular question among the candidates but their performance on the map aspect of the question was poor.  Candidates are advised to practice the art of  map drawing in order to master the art.  Most of the candidates that answered the question were able to give the economic importance of rail transportation.  However, many of them could not describe the problems affecting railway transportation in Nigeria.  The problems affecting railway transportation in Nigeria include:

• narrow gauge
• trains are very slow
• scarcity of spare parts
• poor maintenance culture
• high cost of construction of railway lines
• low level of technology
• old coaches
• poor management
• poor time schedules
• competition from other modes of transportation
• inadequate capital
• single track
• low patronage
• not flexible
• flooding/derailment
• inadequate skilled labour.