
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is working on a potential partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to expand Lagos' rail network. This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by Kolawole Ojelabi, LAMATA's head of corporate communication, following a recent visit by the AfDB team to explore collaborative opportunities.
The visit, led by Solomon Quaynor, AfDB Vice-President for Private Sector Infrastructure and Industrialisation, included a tour of the Lagos Blue Rail Line, operational since 2023. The delegation also assessed potential investments in the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Purple Line, part of the state’s ambitious $1.9 billion expansion project that includes the Purple and Green rail lines.
The Purple Line project was pitched at the AfDB forum in Morocco by Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Speaking about the visit, Quaynor, joined by Mayowa Ayodele, AfDB’s Private Sector Equity Specialist, expressed keen interest in collaborating with LAMATA to boost rail infrastructure in Lagos.

Ojelabi highlighted the state’s commitment to developing efficient rail systems to ease transportation for Lagos residents. The Red Line rail, launched on October 15, 2024, now carries approximately 500,000 passengers daily and complements the existing Blue Rail Line.
During their visit, the AfDB delegation met with key LAMATA officials, including Managing Director Abimbola Akinajo and Director of Rail Transport Olasunkanmi Okusaga. The team praised the progress of the Blue Line rail system, emphasizing the importance of strategic partnerships for the success of Lagos' transport master plan.

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