Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) achieved operating profitability for the first time since it began operations in 2017, driven by growth in its core freight business.

Data show that the SGR handled 8.2 million tonnes of freight in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, a record high since its launch and the highest in nearly four years, up 1.11 million tonnes from 7.04 million tonnes in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

The achievement of profitability and record freight volume was driven by a series of coordinated operational and management measures. By increasing the number of daily freight train services and optimizing the allocation of locomotives and rolling stock, the railway raised freight car utilization to 70 percent, effectively unlocking transport capacity. Meanwhile, enhanced port-rail connectivity, upgraded port handling facilities, optimized transport scheduling, shorter asset turnover cycles, and improved customer services have continuously strengthened the SGR's freight transport capacity and operational stability. The railway continues to leverage the railway transport corridor in East Africa, supporting regional logistics and trade facilitation.

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SGR posts first operating profit since launch in 2017