The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) a permanent rail operating licence and a 15-year Track Access Agreement, clearing the way for expanded commuter rail services and future rail development across Lagos.
According to a post on LAMATA’s official X handle on Tuesday, the approval authorises the authority to operate passenger and freight services on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line corridor between Agbado and Oyingbo, while providing a long-term framework for access to NRC rail infrastructure.
With the regulatory hurdle removed, LAMATA plans to increase Red Line services from the current nine daily trips to 24 by the fourth quarter of 2026 following the arrival of additional rolling stock.
The expansion is expected to ease commuter congestion, reduce waiting times and improve passenger capacity.
Under the agreement, LAMATA will continue to share NRC’s rail infrastructure for as long as it operates on the corridor.
The operating licence also covers the Blue Line and any future rail lines developed by the authority within the 15-year period, eliminating the need for a fresh baseline licensing process for each new route.
Only final safety and operational inspections by the Government Inspector of Railways will be required before new services commence.
Speaking at the licence presentation and signing ceremony at NRC headquarters, NRC Managing Director, Kayode Opeifa, described the approval as the culmination of more than two decades of collaboration between the corporation and LAMATA.
“Although the progress appears rapid, the project has evolved over many years and across successive administrations,” Opeifa said.
He commended LAMATA for becoming the first subnational government in Nigeria to maximise unused operational windows on federal railway infrastructure to improve public transportation, expressing hope that other states would emulate Lagos by taking advantage of federal rail assets.
Opeifa also said the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to expanding transport infrastructure to stimulate economic growth and improve mobility for Nigerians.
Receiving the licence, LAMATA Managing Director, Abimbola Akinajo, described the approval as the outcome of years of rigorous technical assessments and close collaboration with the NRC.
“This certification was earned through extensive technical assessments rather than granted automatically,” she said, commending the corporation for maintaining high professional and safety standards throughout the licensing process.
Akinajo said the approval would enable LAMATA to maximise every available operational window on the Red Line, allowing the authority to significantly increase service frequency and passenger capacity.
She disclosed that each additional train expected later this year would carry at least 2,000 passengers per direction, while noting that the Blue Line already operates 94 daily trips.
She reaffirmed LAMATA’s commitment to working closely with the NRC to deliver faster, safer and more reliable rail services for millions of Lagos commuters.
