The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line, a critical step towards securing a 3-year operational license for the electric rail system.
This development was announced through a statement on the official Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) X account on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the inspection, led by NRC’s Director of Operations, Mr. Akin Osinowo, thoroughly evaluated the infrastructure, operations, and independent power plant of the Blue Line.
Following the inspection, the NRC expressed satisfaction with the system’s overall performance. The statement further indicated that once the Blue Line meets all NRC operational standards, it will be granted an operational license valid for three years.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has expressed satisfaction with the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line, following an extensive inspection of its infrastructure and operations.
“The inspection is a crucial step towards obtaining an operational license for the Blue Line being operated by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
“Led by Mr. Akin Osinowo, Director of Operations at NRC, the inspection team commended the Lagos State Government for pioneering electric rail transportation in Nigeria. The team scrutinized the entire Blue Line system, including its independent power plant,” the statement read in part.
It added, “The operational license, valid for three years, will be granted upon meeting the NRC’s operational standards.”
The statement also noted that before the Blue Line began passenger operations in September 2023, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) was reviewed and approved for safety by the Government Inspector of Railways (GIR), a body within the Federal Ministry of Transport.
This initial safety certification ensured that the Blue Line met the necessary safety standards to operate, allowing it to begin passenger services.
What you should know
The Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line is a 27-kilometre urban rail route connecting Marina and Okokomaiko, developed in phases.
The first phase, spanning 13 kilometres from Marina to Mile 2, includes five stations: Mile 2, Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre, and Marina. The second phase is projected to be completed by 2027, with construction handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), according to LAMATA.
Powered by its own power plant, the Blue Line began operations on September 4, 2023, and has already transported nearly two million passengers, as per LAMATA’s August 2024 statistics.
On August 12, the number of daily trips on the Blue Line increased from 54 to 72, while the Sunday schedule remained unchanged. Additionally, the travel time between Marina and Mile 2 was reduced from 25 minutes to just 18 minutes, also effective on August 12.
As part of efforts to boost usage of the electric rail system, the Lagos State Government introduced a 25% fare reduction on the Blue Line Rail during off-peak hours, set between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, effective August 12, 2024.