The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has given Lagos State a permanent operating licence. This allows Lagos to run the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line under the existing Track Sharing Agreement.
With this licence, Lagos becomes the first state government in Nigeria to operate full rail services for both goods and passengers.
The NRC Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, presented the licence on Tuesday. The event had officials from Lagos State and the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) in attendance.
Mr Opeifa called this a landmark moment for Nigeria's railway sector. He said it shows a shift from the NRC being the only railway operator to a system with multiple operators working together.
He explained that the permanent licence lets LAMATA keep operating on the shared rail corridor. It also allows the Lagos State Government to run other rail systems according to global standards.
Mr Opeifa reminded everyone that in April 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to transfer two federal rail tracks to Lagos. This decision helped start the development of the LRMT Red Line, which is a major urban rail project for Nigeria.
He mentioned that the Red Line started passenger services on October 15, 2024, after President Bola Tinubu inaugurated it. He added that the NRC helped with training and technical support for the project.
The NRC had first given Lagos State a temporary licence to help with the Track Sharing Agreement while they assessed operations. Successful completion of these assessments led to the permanent licence.
Mr Opeifa praised Lagos State for investing in rail infrastructure and public transport. He said this shows strong political will and good planning.
He pointed out that rail transport is key for effective mass transit in major cities around the world. He encouraged other state governments to invest in rail infrastructure to support the Federal Government's efforts to grow Nigeria's railway network.
He stated that more investment in rail services would help ease road traffic, reduce logistics costs, improve passenger movement, boost economic activities, and aid national development.
Mr Opeifa also thanked the assessment officials who helped approve the permanent licence. He said their professionalism ensured that the LRMT Red Line met the necessary operational standards.
He confirmed the NRC's promise to work with state governments and other partners to build a safe and sustainable railway system across Nigeria.
LAMATA's Managing Director, Abimbola Akinajo, praised the NRC for guiding Lagos State through the process to achieve this significant milestone. She noted that the NRC's long history shows its reliability.
Mrs Akinajo added that LAMATA has greatly benefited from its collaboration with the NRC. She said they will keep depending on the NRC's support to help Lagos reach its transportation goals as part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's THEMES PLUS Agenda.
She mentioned that in preparation for the licences, the state government has bought three more rolling stocks. This will increase Red Line services from nine to twenty-four.
When fully operational, the Red Line is expected to carry over 200,000 passengers daily. Mrs Akinajo said LAMATA will keep looking for ways to improve rail transport in the state.
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