Sanwo-Olu unveils new trains, hails Tinubu’s support for Lagos rail expansion

By Adeola Ogunrinde

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu is working to bring prosperity to Lagos State in particular and Nigeria in general. Sanwo-Olu made the remark while officially handing over three additional trains of 12 coaches each for Blue Rail Line operations at the National Theatre, Iganmu.

Present at the brief event were Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; Special Adviser on Transportation, Sola Giwa; and the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engineer Abimbola Akinajo, among others.

Sanwo-Olu, who was full of praise for President Tinubu, noted that the procurement of the additional coaches was made possible through the President’s financial support. While handing over the coaches to LAMATA, he said the delivery would boost operations on the Blue Line.

According to the governor, “With these new sets, we are doubling the capacity we have on the Blue Line. There will be a reduction in travel time, faster turnaround, and a more reliable train experience. You will begin to see trains every 10 to 15 minutes.

“About a year and a half ago, Mr. President, in his usual understanding of what sub-nationals are doing under his Renewed Hope Agenda—following the removal of the subsidy and the introduction of CNG buses—deemed it fit to support us financially in delivering the new coaches. Now we can see that his agenda is working well for us in Lagos. We want to thank the President and everyone who has been part of this journey.

“Before the end of the year, we are going to see more new coaches on the Red Line too, which are even bigger than those on the Blue Line. This is what the President has directed us to do, and we have done it, so we need to thank him.”

Sanwo-Olu noted that with the new coaches, the cost of running and maintaining the Blue Line will become more affordable and reduce operational costs. He added that the coaches will be installed on the tracks with all necessary safety measures in place.

“Phase Two of the Blue Line, from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, is underway. The stations and tracks are coming up, and everything is on schedule. We urge residents to remain hopeful and confident in this administration. The dividends of democracy are becoming visible, and this is just the beginning,” he said.

In addition, the governor revealed that more rolling stock is expected for the Red Line rail corridor before the end of the year as part of wider efforts to ease transportation costs and time for residents. “The new train sets are part of a broader strategy to modernize Lagos’ transport network and position the state as a model for sustainable urban mobility in Africa,” Sanwo-Olu stated.