Lagos Light Rail: Top 25 Things You Should Know About This Project

6. In December 2003, due to the enormous deficit in mass transit infrastructure, the then Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, announced the plan to revive the Metroline project. The project was renamed the “Lagos Light Rail” Project, also known as the “Eko Rail”.

7. The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), founded a year earlier, was saddled with the responsibility of managing the “Lagos Light Rail” Project.

8. The effort to develop the “Lagos Light Rail” Project involved an initial phase of building 2 lines – the Red and Blue lines, with the intention of extending it to 7 lines.

9. There was a five-year delay before the project kicked off. The contract for the project was awarded to the Chinese firm, Civil Engineering Construction Company (CECC). The project cost was valued at$1.2billion. The completion date was set for 2011.

10. After the project commenced, the Lagos State government began seeking for investors that would operate and maintain these lines after the construction. The plan was to award a concession contract to the potential investors of which would last for 25 – 30 years. The concessionaire would also be involved in the design and construction of the infrastructure relating to the operation and maintenance of the lines.