Lagos light rail now to be completed 2017

as state looks to private investors to strengthen mass transit

The light-rail project undergoing construction on Lagos-Badagry Expressway corridor is now to be completed in 2017. This new date is, however, five years behind the original scheduled date of 2012 set for the about $1.2 billion project.

Actualising the project within the new timeframe set would however be dependent on the ability of the Lagos State government to fund it and also secure a deal with a private sector investors who would equally be willing to put down money.

The 27.5 kilometres rail line (Okokomaiko to Marina on Lagos Island) was awarded in August 2009, and was meant to be delivered in 36 months (by August 2012). It has however suffered some setbacks and long delay due to what concerned authorities attribute to funding challenge and sourcing for a credible concessionee who will run the system for a period of 30 years.

The first phase covering seven kilometres from Mile 2 to National Arts Theatre is inching close to completion while work is progressing on the second phase – an elevated track covering a distance of five kilometres, from the National Theatre to Marina. The project on completion would be a major breakthrough in the state’s quest for a decent mass transit scheme.

Ekundayo Mobereola, Lagos State commissioner for transportation, confirmed to BusinessDay the new completion date, saying in the last seven years, the state government had had to contend with funding the project, and this largely contributed to the delay experienced.

According to Mobereola, who until his appointment as commissioner was the managing director/CEO of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the rail line forms part of the inter-modal system being implemented by Lagos State under its strategic public transportation master plan, to cater to the growing population of the megacity, for next the 20 to 30 years.

Incorporated into the master plan, the commissioner said, are six rail lines identified by colours (Blue, Red, Yellow, Brown, Green) and a mono rail, 14 identified Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes, 21 waterways, and three cable car lines which forms the Lagos intermodal transpiration system.

He said that blue line rail project needed strong financial backing from private sector investors, and upon completion would guarantee good returns on investment and ensured sustainable solution to the Lagos transportation challenge.

It would be recalled that Alderman Alan Yarrow, the mayor of London, recently visited the project site at the National Arts Theatre where he commended Lagos for initiating the project.

Yarrow had however pointed to the need to put in place a legal framework to back infrastructural development in Lagos and to protect investors’ interest.

According to the mayor, “we are aware of the frustration of the average commuters in Lagos wasting several man-hours to move from one part of the state to the other,” he said, adding that, “You have a good strategic plan and there is no two ways to it. There is obviously going to be bumps on the way. But the reality is that you need to start thinking progressively on how to fund it and you should start now, rather than later.”

 “It is all about the structure, protection of the investor, the rule of law and make sure that you have the right contracts in place. I have spent 43 years in the investment banking. I have very often seen stations like this but this is a long way from being finished.   “It is a very exciting story to have this in Lagos but it has to be funded because it will do Lagos a lot of good. If we and UK can help, giving the right financing package, we will do so,” said Yarrow.