Lagos State has recorded a major milestone in its drive to modernise public transportation with the issuance of a permanent railway operating licence and track access licence by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line.
Speaking on The Conversation, Olasunkanmi Okusaga, Technical Adviser, Public Transport Rail at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), described the approval as a landmark achievement, making Lagos the first sub-national government in Nigeria authorised to operate full-scale passenger and cargo rail services.
According to him, the permanent licence followed a rigorous six-to-seven-month regulatory audit during which federal inspectors assessed key operational and safety requirements, including station infrastructure, driver certification, track maintenance procedures and the state’s Safety Management System.
With the approval secured, LAMATA plans to significantly expand operations on the Red Line by increasing daily trips from nine to 28. The expansion will be supported by the arrival of 24 additional passenger rail coaches, expected later this year.
Okusaga explained that while the Blue Line runs on an electrified system powered by a dedicated independent power plant, the Red Line currently operates diesel-powered trains because it shares rail infrastructure with the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge corridor.
He stressed that passenger safety remains a top priority, noting that both rail corridors are equipped with advanced safety systems, including automatic speed control technology, emergency communication systems linking passengers directly to train operators, broken rail detection technology, and more than 300 CCTV cameras monitored from LAMATA’s central control centre.
To sustain long-term growth, LAMATA is also investing heavily in local capacity development. Through partnerships with international organisations, the agency has trained Nigerian professionals to manage rail operations, with over 95 per cent of Blue Line operations now handled by local personnel.
The agency is also concluding plans to establish a specialised rail training institute in Nigeria, which will offer accredited programmes in railway maintenance, signalling systems and rolling stock operations.
Looking ahead, Okusaga said Lagos remains committed to implementing its Strategic Transport Master Plan, with the Green Line—linking Marina, Victoria Island, Lekki and the Lekki Free Trade Zone—identified as the next major rail project. Future expansion will also include the Purple, Yellow and Orange Lines, all integrated with bus and water transport services through the Cowry Card ticketing system.
