LAMATA, CCECC Partner To Establish Railway Training Centre As Lagos Expands Rail Master Plan To 11 Lines
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has signed a landmark agreement with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to establish a state-of-the-art Railway Training Centre, a strategic initiative aimed at developing the skilled workforce required to support the rapid expansion of Lagos State’s rail network.
The agreement comes as the Lagos State Government updates its Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP), expanding the rail component from the original six rail lines and one monorail to 11 rail lines and one monorail, reflecting the state’s growing transportation needs and long-term vision for an integrated mass transit system.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, said the training centre would play a critical role in ensuring that the expanding rail infrastructure is operated and maintained by highly skilled Nigerian professionals.
She noted that significant progress has already been made in local capacity development through the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue and Red Lines.
“Since we started the Blue and Red Line operations, we have trained over 400 personnel, including train drivers, customer service representatives and operations staff,” she said. “On the Blue Line alone, we have achieved over 90 per cent local staffing, with technical partners filling only the remaining gaps.”
Akinajo said the expansion of the Strategic Transport Master Plan underscores the need for a structured and internationally certified railway training institution.
“The Strategic Transport Master Plan has now been updated to include 11 rail lines and one monorail. For a network of this scale to be sustainable, we need a proper certified training system covering signalling, maintenance, operations and customer service,” she said.
“Our goal is to ensure that the infrastructure we build is operated and maintained by Nigerians. This will guarantee the longevity of our transit systems, create meaningful employment opportunities for our youths and contribute significantly to the growth of the Nigerian economy.”
She described the partnership with CCECC as a major investment in human capital that will ensure Lagos has the technical expertise required to support its ambitious rail expansion programme.
The signing ceremony was attended by LAMATA’s Technical Adviser, Public Transport Rail, Engr. Olasunkanmi Okusaga, Head of Corporate Communication, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi, and other senior officials from the Authority, alongside executives of CCECC.
Responding on behalf of the construction company, CCECC Vice President, Mr. Sun Xiangchun, thanked LAMATA for championing the initiative, describing vocational education as the foundation of industrial development.
He said the project aligns with the China-Africa Vocational Education Plan jointly endorsed by the Presidents of China and Nigeria to strengthen technical education and support Africa’s industrialisation.
According to Xiangchun, as the contractor that delivered the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue and Red Lines, CCECC recognises that the expansion of Lagos’ rail network will require a new generation of highly trained professionals in railway operations, maintenance and management.
He said the proposed training centre would integrate classroom instruction, simulation-based learning, practical hands-on training and professional skills assessment to produce world-class railway personnel.
“The establishment of a professional and integrated railway training centre is not only timely but essential for the sustainable development of Lagos’ rail transit system,” he said.
The Railway Training Centre is expected to become a cornerstone of LAMATA’s long-term strategy to build indigenous technical capacity, reduce dependence on foreign expertise and provide the skilled workforce needed to support what will become one of Africa’s most extensive urban rail networks.
