The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) a 15-year rail operating licence, giving the agency permanent regulatory approval to expand passenger and freight services across its rail network.
The approval also includes a long-term Track Access Agreement, giving LAMATA the legal authority to operate passenger and freight services along the Red Line corridor between Agbado and Oyingbo while providing a stable framework for the expansion of rail services across Lagos.
With the regulatory hurdle removed, LAMATA plans to increase Red Line operations from the current nine daily trips to 24 trips by the fourth quarter of 2026, when additional rolling stock is expected to arrive, significantly boosting passenger capacity and reducing waiting time for commuters.
The licence was presented on Tuesday during a ceremony at the NRC headquarters, where both organisations also signed the Track Access Agreement formalising their long-term partnership.
The agreement grants LAMATA continued access to the NRC’s rail infrastructure for as long as it operates on the corridor, while the 15-year operating licence extends beyond the Red Line to cover the Blue Line and any future rail corridors developed by the authority within the licence period.
The approval also simplifies future rail expansion by eliminating the need for fresh baseline licensing for every new corridor, requiring only a final safety and operational inspection by the Government Inspector of Railways before passenger services commence.
Speaking during the presentation, Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, described the approval as the culmination of more than two decades of collaboration between the corporation and LAMATA.
According to him, although the achievement appears recent, it is the product of years of planning and sustained commitment across successive administrations.
“This project has evolved over many years. LAMATA has become the first subnational government in Nigeria to maximise unused operational windows on federal railway infrastructure to improve public transportation, and we hope other states will take advantage of the same opportunity,” Opeifa said.
He added that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to expanding transport infrastructure as part of efforts to stimulate economic development and improve mobility across the country.
Receiving the licence, LAMATA Managing Director, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, described the approval as the outcome of years of rigorous regulatory assessment and close collaboration with the NRC.
She commended the corporation for maintaining high professional and safety standards throughout the licensing process, stressing that the certification was earned through extensive technical evaluations.
“This approval enables us to maximise every available operational window on the Red Line corridor. By the last quarter of 2026, we intend to operate 24 daily services after taking delivery of additional rolling stock, with each train capable of carrying at least 2,000 passengers per direction,” Akinajo said.
She disclosed that LAMATA currently operates 94 daily trips on the Blue Line and reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to working closely with the NRC to deliver faster, safer and more reliable rail services for millions of Lagos residents.
The permanent operating licence is regarded as one of the most significant regulatory milestones since the launch of Lagos’ modern rail system, providing long-term certainty for future rail expansion and reinforcing the state’s drive to build an integrated, high-capacity public transportation network.