NIGERIA: Construction of the long-planned Red Line in Lagos was launched on April 15 with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future Ikeja station attended by the Governor of Lagos state Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Transport Minister Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.
The north-south mass transit line running 37 km from Marina to Agbado is being developed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority. It is to be built in three phases, with the initial section between Agbado to Oyingbo serving eight stations expected to be operational by the last quarter of 2022.
The bulk of the route between Agbado and Iddo will share an alignment with NRC’s Lagos – Ibadan main line, which has recently been reconstructed to 1 435 mm gauge. Dedicated tracks are to be provided for the suburban service between Oyingbo and the main line terminus at Ebute-Metta.
The southern section of the route will follow a new alignment from Ebute-Metta to Marina, where interchange will be provided to the 27 km east-west Blue Line from Okokomaiko, which has been under construction since 2010 and is reported to be 78% complete.
Expected to cut journey times between Agbado and the city centre from the current 2½ h to around 35 min, the Red Line is projected to carry more than 1 million passengers/day when fully operational. The first phase will have a design capacity for 500 000 passengers/day.
According to the Governor, the Red Line will interchange with local bus services at Oyingbo, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikeja and Iju. It would also connect with the future Orange Line from Ikeja to Agbowa, while an elevated walkway would connect the railway to Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
First proposed as long ago as 1983, the Red Line is being funded through a government financing package put in place by the Central Bank of Nigeria, described as a Differentiated Cash Reserve Requirement.
‘Today’s flag-off for the construction of infrastructure for the Red Line demonstrates our commitment to achieve the objectives of traffic management and transportation pillar in our development agenda’, said Sanwo-Olu. ‘We recognise the role which an efficient transportation system plays in enhancing people’s quality of life and as a major driver of socio-economic development.’
Commissioner for Transportation Frederic Oladehinde explained that the State’s Strategic Transport Master Plan made provision for six rail lines, one monorail, 14 bus rapid transit corridors and over 20 waterway routes. It was ‘a deliberate effort’ by the state government and its development partners to make Lagos livable beyond 2032. LAMATA Managing Director Abimbola Akinajo added that the project was ‘a bold step’ and which demonstrated the Governor’s commitment to solving transport challenges.
