Lagos light rail project.

Lagosians are soon to get two light rail connections, state governor Babatunde Fashola has said. The promised services are the so-called Blue Line, running west-east from Okokomaiko to the central business district on Lagos Island, and the Red Line connecting the city centre in the south to Agbado in neighbouring Ogun State to the north. The project is being developed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) with private sector involvement in operations and management. If all goes to plan construction could begin by September this year and the rail links could go into operation in 2011. Another five light rail links are also scheduled for development in due course.

The plans are part of a broad project to improve public transportation in the metropolis and ease pressure on the crowded roads. To this end last year the state government inaugurated an express bus link on main roads, which can carry up to 180,000 passengers each day.