NRC grants LAMATA 15-Year licence to operate Lagos metro rail network

By Reporter

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) a 15-year operating licence covering the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line, Blue Line and all future rail lines developed by the authority during the licence period.

The approval, announced by LAMATA, also includes a long-term Track Access Agreement that allows the authority to continue using the NRC’s railway corridor for Red Line operations while providing greater regulatory certainty for future rail projects.

According to LAMATA, the agreement grants continued access to the NRC corridor between Agbado and Oyingbo for as long as the authority operates passenger services on the route.

The new licence replaces the temporary approvals previously issued for the red and blue lines and eliminates the need for LAMATA to obtain fresh baseline operating licences for future rail projects. Instead, new lines will only be required to undergo final safety and operational inspections before passenger services begin.

LAMATA described the approval as a major milestone for the expansion of Lagos’ rail network.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation has granted the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority a permanent operating licence and a long-term Track Access Agreement, a landmark regulatory approval expected to accelerate the expansion of Lagos’ rail network and significantly boost commuter services on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line,” the authority said.

The agency disclosed that train services on the Red Line are expected to increase from nine daily trips to 24 by the fourth quarter of 2026 following the delivery of additional rolling stock.

Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, said the approval followed years of collaboration between the corporation and LAMATA, noting that Lagos remains the first subnational government to utilise federal railway infrastructure for urban rail operations.

LAMATA Managing Director, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, said the licence followed extensive regulatory assessments and would enable the authority to significantly expand operations on the Red Line.

She said each additional train would carry at least 2,000 passengers in each direction, while the Blue Line currently operates 94 train trips daily.

The latest approval builds on earlier licences issued by the NRC in October 2024, when LAMATA received a three-year operating licence for the Blue Line and a six-month temporary licence for the Red Line before commercial operations commenced.

The long-term licence is expected to support the implementation of the Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, which envisions a six-line metro rail network comprising the Blue, Red, Green, Purple, Orange and Yellow lines.

Transport analysts say the new regulatory framework provides greater certainty for investors and operators while supporting Lagos State’s efforts to expand mass transit infrastructure, improve urban mobility and reduce road congestion.

However, the development also comes amid ongoing industry discussions over the NRC’s dual role as both a railway operator and the sector’s regulator, a governance issue some stakeholders argue should be addressed as Nigeria’s rail industry continues to evolve.