Lagos slashes blue line rail fares by 50% to celebrate two years of service

...As rail ridership hits over 5m

By Sodiq Adelakun

The Lagos State Government has announced a 50 per cent reduction in fares on the Blue Line rail service to commemorate its second year of operation.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the announcement on Wednesday through his official X account, revealing that the metro line has conveyed over five million passengers since its launch in September 2023.

He said the fare cut takes effect today, 4 September 2025, and is aimed at celebrating the milestone while encouraging more residents to adopt the rail service as a preferred means of transportation.

Sanwo-Olu commended the system’s reliability, pointing out that trains now depart every 10 minutes, completing over 90 trips each day, and have operated for two years without a single recorded accident.

“Two years ago, we took a bold step with the launch of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line. Today, as I look back on how far we have come, I feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude. The Blue Line has carried more than five million passengers safely, without a single accident,” the governor said.

The 27-kilometre Blue Line is a major component of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) network. Its first phase, covering Marina to Mile 2, began operations in September 2023. Construction of Phase 2, which extends the line from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, is being handled by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and is expected to be completed in 2026.

As part of the extension, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) will demolish the Mazamaza Bridge, which safety tests found unsuitable for rail operations, and replace it with a new structure. Two additional bridges, the Satellite Bridge and LASU Bridge, will also be built, each designed with a lifespan of over 75 years.

Phase 2 will add six new stations at Festac, Alakija, Trade Fair, Volkswagen, LASU, and Okokomaiko, alongside a 400,000-square-metre depot in Okokomaiko that will serve as the central maintenance and operations hub.

The state government said the expansion underscores its commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable urban transport infrastructure in line with international best practice.