The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) a permanent operating licence and a long-term track access agreement, in a move expected to accelerate the expansion of Lagos’ rail network and improve commuter services on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line.
The approval removes a key regulatory hurdle, giving LAMATA legal authority to operate passenger and freight services along the Red Line corridor between Agbado and Oyingbo, while establishing a framework for future rail expansion.
According to a statement by LAMATA’s Head of Communication, the decision will enable a significant increase in Red Line operations from nine daily trips to 24 by the fourth quarter of 2026, once additional rolling stock is delivered. The expansion is expected to boost passenger capacity and reduce waiting times for commuters.
Under the arrangement, the track access agreement allows LAMATA to utilise NRC infrastructure for as long as it operates services on the corridor. The newly issued 15-year operating licence also covers the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line and future rail lines to be developed within the period.
The agency said the approval would streamline future rail development, removing the need for a full licensing process for each new corridor. Instead, only a final safety and operational inspection by the Government Inspector of Railways will be required before services commence.
At the signing ceremony held at NRC headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos, the corporation’s Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, described the agreement as the culmination of more than two decades of collaboration between both organisations.
He said the progress reflected sustained efforts across successive administrations, noting that Lagos had become the first subnational government to fully utilise available operational capacity on federal railway infrastructure to improve public transport.
Opeifa also highlighted the role of rail infrastructure in economic development, adding that the administration of President Bola Tinubu remained committed to expanding transport networks and improving service delivery nationwide.
Receiving the licence, LAMATA Managing Director, Engr Abimbola Akinajo, said the approval followed years of regulatory scrutiny and close cooperation with the NRC.
She commended the corporation for maintaining high safety and professional standards throughout the process, adding that the certification was achieved through rigorous technical assessment rather than automatic approval.
Akinajo said the licence would enable LAMATA to maximise operational capacity on the Red Line corridor and significantly increase service frequency. She added that the agency planned to operate 24 daily Red Line services by the final quarter of 2026, following the delivery of additional rolling stock.
She said each train would have a capacity of at least 2,000 passengers per direction, substantially increasing commuter capacity during peak periods.
Akinajo also noted that LAMATA currently operates 94 daily trips on the Blue Line and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with the NRC to deliver faster, safer and more reliable rail transport for Lagos residents.
The permanent licence marks a major regulatory milestone for Lagos’ modern rail system, providing long-term certainty for expansion and reinforcing the state’s goal of developing an integrated, high-capacity public transport network.
