The Lagos State Government has taken a major step toward expanding its urban rail capacity with the delivery of 24 newly manufactured train coaches, strengthening the Red Line metro project and reinforcing the state’s multimodal transport strategy.
The new rolling stock, produced in China, comprises three eight-coach train sets designed for high-capacity mass transit. The upgraded configuration significantly increases passenger volume compared to the four-coach sets currently deployed on existing corridors, positioning the Red Line to operate at full metropolitan scale.
Brandspur Banking News Desk understands that when fully operational, the Red Line rail corridor will run up to 37 trips daily, with the capacity to move more than 500,000 passengers each day along the critical Agbado–Oyingbo axis, easing pressure on road networks and reducing commuter travel time.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is also advancing intergovernmental talks with Dapo Abiodun to extend the existing 27-kilometre Red Line beyond Lagos borders into parts of Ogun State, including Kajola and Ijoko. The proposed expansion is expected to improve cross-border mobility, decongest Lagos, and stimulate economic activity across the Southwest corridor.
The Red Line expansion complements the performance of the Blue Line rail system. According to the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, the Blue Line transported over 3.5 million passengers in 2025, with daily trips increased to 90 and an average daily ridership of about 15,000 commuters.
Speaking at a recent ministerial briefing, Oluwaseun Osiyemi confirmed that construction of the second phase of the Blue Line, extending from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, remains on track for completion in the first quarter of 2027.
Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state is accelerating preparatory engineering work on the 68-kilometre Green Line rail, which will link Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone. This rail expansion is being aligned with the planned Omi-Eko water transport initiative, which will introduce electric-powered ferries by 2027 to further diversify Lagos’ public transport options.
The Lagos rail expansion programme underscores the state’s long-term infrastructure agenda aimed at supporting population growth, improving productivity, and positioning Lagos as a leading mass transit model in Africa.
