Lagos Expands Rail Master Plan to 11 Lines, Signs Deal for Railway Training Centre

The Lagos State Government has expanded its Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP) from six rail lines to 11 rail lines and one monorail, marking a major step in its long-term strategy to improve mass transit and meet the transportation needs of the state’s rapidly growing population.

The development was announced by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to establish a Railway Training Centre that will build the technical capacity needed to operate and maintain the state’s expanding rail system.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, LAMATA Managing Director, Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, said the revised master plan reflects Lagos’ evolving transportation needs and its commitment to developing an integrated, efficient and sustainable public transport network.

She said the expansion of the rail system had made it imperative to establish a globally certified railway training institution that would equip Nigerians with specialised skills in railway operations, signalling, maintenance, safety and customer service.

According to Akinajo, the state is committed to ensuring that its growing rail infrastructure is largely operated and maintained by Nigerians, a move she said would create employment opportunities, reduce reliance on expatriate expertise and strengthen local technical capacity.

She disclosed that since commercial operations began on the Blue Line and Red Line, more than 400 personnel, including train operators, customer service officers and technical staff, have undergone specialised training.

Akinajo added that over 90 per cent of employees currently working on the Blue Line are Nigerians, describing the achievement as evidence of the state’s commitment to developing indigenous expertise in railway operations.

Also speaking, CCECC Vice President Sun Xiangchun described the proposed Railway Training Centre as a timely initiative that would combine classroom instruction with practical and simulation-based training to produce highly skilled railway professionals capable of supporting Lagos’ transportation ambitions.

According to LAMATA, the training centre forms part of its broader strategy to develop local technical expertise as Lagos builds what is projected to become one of Africa’s largest urban rail systems.

Currently, only the first phases of the Blue Line and Red Line are operational, while construction continues on subsequent phases and planned extensions.

The authority said the expanded transport blueprint also incorporates the proposed Green, Purple, Orange and Yellow rail lines, while plans are being considered to extend the Red Line into neighbouring Ogun State to improve regional connectivity and support economic integration.

LAMATA noted that the revised rail programme is aligned with the Lagos State 2050 Mobility Master Plan, which identifies rail transportation, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services and ferry operations as key pillars for reducing traffic congestion, improving urban mobility and delivering a more sustainable transportation system for Africa’s largest city.