Blue Line (Lagos Rail Mass Transit)

The Blue Line is an electric rapid transit line that runs in Lagos, Nigeria. It is part of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit system run by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.

The first phase with five stations and 13 km of track opened on 4 September 2023. The full line is set to be 27 km and is expected to carry 500,000 passengers a day.

History
In April 2008, the Lagos State Government approved ₦ 70 billion for construction of the Okokomaiko-Iddo-Marina Line, with an estimated completion date of 2011. However, the project suffered many delays due to lack of funds. The opening date was revised to June 2013, then December 2016, then 2017. As of November 2016, only 16 km of the 27 km Blue Line had been completed. It began service on 4 September, 2023.

Development plan
Lagos State is financing construction of the Blue Line with its own resources. The proposed advantages of the blue line are that is will allow commuters to spend less time travelling in the area by avoiding traffic jams which can take many hours to get through, whilst also being cheaper. A journey that would have taken two hours in traffic can now be taken in fifteen minutes. The trains are electrified, and security has been provided to prevent vandalism.

Contractors
The contract was awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), with advisory services being provided by CPCS Transcom Limited.

Planned route
The Blue Line will run 27 km from Okokomaiko to Lagos Marina, with 13 stations and an end-to-end journey time of 35 minutes. The entire Blue Line will operate over a secure and exclusive right-of-way, with no level crossings and no uncontrolled access by pedestrians or vehicles. The route will run on the surface in the central reservation of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway between Igbo-Elerin Road (Okokomaiko) and Iganmu. The line will then be elevated from Iganmu along the south side of the expressway passing the junction with Eric Moore Road, crossing just south of the National Theatre to Iddo, then south to Lagos Island with a terminal at Marina. A Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) will be constructed at Okokomaiko, with a track connection from the Blue Line to the depot.

Phase I
The first phase was opened for testing on 21 December 2022. This phase travels 13 km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2. The 5 stations being opened are: Lagos Marina, National Theatre, Orile Iganmu, Suru Alaba, Mile 2. The line is undergoing testing during December 2022 and January 2023 before opening to passengers. Service began on 4 September, 2023.

Phase II
Construction of the second phase, from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, will commence after the first phase opens for passenger service. This is expected to be in the spring of 2023.