The Lagos State Government has announced plans to extend the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line to FESTAC, Alakija and Trade Fair, with three new stations scheduled to commence operations by the end of February 2027.
The Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed this at the 2026 Media Parley organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, according to a statement released by the agency on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The additional stations will increase the number of operational stations on the Blue Line from five to eight, extending the existing Marina–Mile 2 rail service further along the Lagos-Badagry corridor.
LAMATA targets February 2027 expansion
Akinajo explained that the planned expansion would improve access to rail transportation for residents along the FESTAC–Alakija–Trade Fair corridor, offering commuters an alternative to road travel and strengthening connectivity between communities.
The three stations are expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2027, with the end of February set as the opening deadline.
- Beyond the rail expansion, Akinajo disclosed that four Quality Bus Corridors (QBCs) were approaching completion.
- Construction of the Marina and Mile 2 Interchange Hubs has also recorded substantial progress.
- The projects form part of efforts to integrate rail and bus transportation, allowing commuters to connect more easily between different public transport services.
The developments are expected to strengthen public transport connectivity as Lagos expands its rail network and supporting infrastructure.
Blue Line Phase II adds six stations
The Lagos Blue Line is a 27-kilometre standard-gauge electric railway being developed by the state government through LAMATA to provide an alternative to road transportation in one of Nigeria’s busiest cities.
Its first phase, covering approximately 13 kilometres between Marina and Mile 2, began commercial operations on September 4, 2023, with five stations at Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba and Mile 2.
- The ongoing second phase will add approximately 14 kilometres from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, with six proposed stations at FESTAC, Alakija, Trade Fair, Volkswagen, Lagos State University (LASU) and Okokomaiko.
- The project also provides for a depot of approximately 400,000 square metres at Okokomaiko, intended to support train maintenance and operations.
- The planned February 2027 opening will cover the first three stations on the extension, while the remaining stations form part of the wider Phase II development.
The opening of the three stations will extend passenger rail services beyond Mile 2 as work continues on the remaining sections of the Blue Line’s second phase.
Blue Line records eight million passengers
The expansion comes as Lagos continues to develop rail transportation to reduce dependence on road travel and ease congestion along major commuter routes.
In July 2026, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the project’s technical partner, disclosed that the Blue Line had transported over eight million passengers in more than 1,000 days of operation.
- CCECC also announced the installation of the first precast T-beam on Phase II, marking progress on the elevated structures that will support the railway tracks.
- Beyond the Blue Line, Lagos State revised its Strategic Transport Master Plan in July 2026, increasing the proposed rail network from six lines to 11 lines and one monorail.
- The expanded plan is intended to improve mass transit coverage and create a more integrated public transportation network across the state.
The planned extension to FESTAC, Alakija and Trade Fair forms part of the state’s broader effort to expand rail connectivity and improve public transportation across Lagos.