Lagos Govt says 68km Marina–Lekki Green Line rail will be fully built before operation begins

This disclosure was made by Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, during a scoping workshop on Wednesday.

The workshop marked the commencement of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Resettlement Policy Framework processes for the rail line.

The announcement was shared in a post on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

At the workshop, LAMATA highlighted the key components of the ESIA process before unveiling the 68km route alignment for the Green Line rail, although the specific details of the alignment were not included in the statement.

“The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) today conducted a crucial scoping workshop for the state-backed Green Line rail project and unveiled the 68-kilometer rail route alignment to the public,” the statement read in part.

It added, “The Honorable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, informed that the government planned to complete the entire project rather than in phases.” 

This decision marks a deviation from the approach taken with the Lagos Blue Line and Red Line metro projects, which were constructed in phases. For those lines, commercial operations commenced after the completion of their respective Phase 1, while the construction of Phase 2 continued. However, the Green Line will be built in its entirety before it begins operation.

Dr. Olumide also advised property owners along the corridor to regularize their building approval documents, warning that failure to do so could lead to consequences.

Community stakeholders, traditional leaders, government officials, and development partners were in attendance. Among them was Daniel Soderstrom, Swedfund Advisor on Social and Impact Assessment, who represented the ESIA funders.

The project’s ESIA consultants, Sectec-Greenstad Consulting Limited, led by Dr. Mariame Mboup Fall, and project contractors China Harbour Engineering Company Limited were also present at the session.

The 68km Green Line, linking Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone, is a key part of the Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, which envisions six Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines to ease congestion.

In September 2024, Lagos formalized an agreement with MOFI and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to design, finance, and operate the Green Line, advancing the state’s transport modernization efforts.