By JKNewsMedia
TRAIN SERVICE across Lagos is set for a major boost as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commissioned three new sets of coaches for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line.
The new coaches, each comprising four cars, were launched at the National Arts Theatre Station and are expected to double the Blue Line’s current operational capacity.
Manufactured in China and delivered through a partnership between the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA) and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the trains will help reduce journey times and waiting periods, offering a more reliable experience for commuters.
The project has received strong backing from the Federal Government, with Governor Sanwo-Olu acknowledging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s role in facilitating funding and supporting infrastructure development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He credited the expansion to the President’s intervention following the removal of fuel subsidy, which has enabled sub-national governments to invest in cost-effective alternatives like rail and electric-powered transport.
Sanwo-Olu stated that with the new trains, travel times on the Blue Line could be cut by as much as half, with some journeys dropping from 20 minutes to 10 minutes.
He also said the train arrivals are expected to become more predictable, with increased frequency potentially seeing trains arriving every 10 minutes.
He emphasised that the procurement of these additional rolling stocks was only possible due to extensive financial support from the Federal Government, calling it a critical part of efforts to provide reliable intracity transport.
The Blue Line began passenger operations in September 2023 after being inaugurated earlier that year by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Since its launch, the line has carried more than two million passengers, and in August 2024 increased its daily frequency from 54 to 72 trips, shortening the Marina-Mile 2 travel time from 30 to 18 minutes.
Sanwo-Olu also confirmed that Lagos will soon receive a new set of coaches for the Red Line, which operates between Agbado in Ogun State and Ebute Metta on the Lagos Mainland.
The Red Line trains will be twice the size of those on the Blue Line to accommodate higher passenger traffic.
Construction of the second phase of the Blue Line, extending the route from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, is progressing steadily, with track and station development already visible.
The Governor reiterated that rail transport has become an integral component of Lagos’s urban mobility strategy, and more infrastructure is on the way.
He concluded that this investment marks a step forward in building a future-ready city with a dependable and efficient transport network for its residents.
