The current administration in Lagos State has spent up to 200 million euros on the first phase of the ongoing light rail project in the state, popularly known as Blue Line.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

The Blue Line Light Rail runs from Badagry in the western flank of Lagos to Marina on the Lagos Island.

Mr Lawanson said the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had spent between 100 million euros and 200 million euros since it inherited the project from the previous administration.

He said that putting finances together was one of the challenges faced by the government in the implementation of the project, which started in 2008.

“The government was mindful not to go into deep borrowing which will become an albatross on the state’s neck.

“That is why we try to look inwards for most of the finances.

“A huge component of the financing is coming from internally-generated revenue and the foreign exchange component was sought through an export credit agency low-interest funding.’’

Mr Lawanson said that putting funds together, providing independent power system and bringing all the technical components of the project together had pushed the completion date of the project to 2022.

“To make the rail system to work, you need uninterrupted power.

“The state government has to provide an independent power system to ensure that the system will run uninterruptedly.

“Bringing all the technical components of the project together is what we are saying. Realistically, it not feasibly to have it before 2022. We have to test-run it.’’

The commissioner said that the government had since signed a memorandum of understanding with a French firm, Alstom, to complete the project after a technical review.

“The administration reached out to the reputable company to take the project from where it was, to completion.

“ Before now, what was done was civil works,’’ the commissioner explained, noting that other components, including signal, electrical and rolling stock had not been covered.

“Alstom is very good in the different aspects of the technologies required to make it a success.’’

On the Red Line aspect of the project, also referred to as phase two, which will run from Marina to Agabado in the northern flank of Lagos, Lawanson said that discussions with potential partners and financiers had commenced.

“Putting a rail project together requires a lot of patience and resourcefulness in terms of financing – where the financing will come from and who we are going to use.

“We just finished the procurement stage of the Blue Line, but we can tell you that we are in discussion with potential partners and financiers for the Red Line.

“However, no entity has been committed.”

He re-stated that the Red Line would be the second stage of the project.

“It is meant to cover the most densely populated parts of Lagos State.

“We expect that it would have the biggest impact in terms of number of people to be conveyed,’’ Mr Lawanson said. (NAN)

“To make the rail system to work, you need uninterrupted power.

seborrhic:
Something that took Ethiopia just 4years to complete(2011-2015) at a fraction of the cost Lagos is spending and still to spend.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addis_Ababa_Light_Rail
By 2022,if it's actually completed by then,it would have taken Lagos state government 14years and probably a billion dollars to complete a light rail from Mile 2 to Marina. This will surely enter into the Guiness book of records.

RockHard:


Eh.. this has been trashed here before. They are not the same model. Besides, the Lagos one has met with series of challenges that's affected its timely delivery.

Lagos light rail is elevated for most parts since it runs on swampy land and it's also a 2 way rail.

You'll have to calculate the cost of the pilings, the concrete footings and it's larger size to accommodate the 2 trains at the same time.

It also crosses a water body and it's complete with a super highway that runs alongside it with pedestrian bridges linking the train stations which are also elevated.

The Ethiopian Lightrail runs on land and is a normal railway line with stops alongside it.

Their specifications and topography are miles apart, hence the cost difference and delivery timing. (Credit to ba7man).

RockHard:


Eh.. this has been trashed here before. They are not the same model. Besides, the Lagos one has met with series of challenges that's affected its timely delivery.

Lagos light rail is elevated for most parts since it runs on swampy land and it's also a 2 way rail.

You'll have to calculate the cost of the pilings, the concrete footings and it's larger size to accommodate the 2 trains at the same time.

It also crosses a water body and it's complete with a super highway that runs alongside it with pedestrian bridges linking the train stations which are also elevated.

The Ethiopian Lightrail runs on land and is a normal railway line with stops alongside it.

Their specifications and topography are miles apart, hence the cost difference and delivery timing. (Credit to ba7man).

Blue3k:
Ok first power then light rail. After that red line and other colors.

Front page: Lalasticlala

RockHard:
Eh.. this has been trashed here before. They are not the same model. Besides, the Lagos one has met with series of challenges that's affected its timely delivery.

Lagos light rail is elevated for most parts since it runs on swampy land and it's also a 2 way rail.

You'll have to calculate the cost of the pilings, the concrete footings and it's larger size to accommodate the 2 trains at the same time.

It also crosses a water body and it's complete with a super highway that runs alongside it with pedestrian bridges linking the train stations which are also elevated.

The Ethiopian Lightrail runs on land and is a normal railway line with stops alongside it.

Their specifications and topography are miles apart, hence the cost difference and delivery timing. (Credit to ba7man).

LaudableXX:

Guy, which other light rail project in the world is as expensive as the one that Lagos has embarked upon? Over 100 million Euro has been spent, and yet it is unfinished. Instead of trying to do a root cause analysis, we are giving excuses of topography and swamps? Haba! If the same topography and swamp existed in another country, the light rail would have been completed and put into operation, since! How many years have they spent building that thing, and yet it is still uncompleted?

RockHard:
Bro, Commissioner Ladi Lawanson don give government explanation. It's then up to you to accept or believe him or not.

LaudableXX:

I don't believe his fake excuses.... after spending all dat 100 million euros? Haba! Do they think they are talking to f00ls?

RockHard:


Eh.. this has been trashed here before. They are not the same model. Besides, the Lagos one has met with series of challenges that's affected its timely delivery.

Lagos light rail is elevated for most parts since it runs on swampy land and it's also a 2 way rail.

You'll have to calculate the cost of the pilings, the concrete footings and it's larger size to accommodate the 2 trains at the same time.

It also crosses a water body and it's complete with a super highway that runs alongside it with pedestrian bridges linking the train stations which are also elevated.

The Ethiopian Lightrail runs on land and is a normal railway line with stops alongside it.

Their specifications and topography are miles apart, hence the cost difference and delivery timing. (Credit to ba7man).

Realdeals:
You mean 100m Euro has been expended between Iganmu and Marina and the work is yet to be completed? Fashola completed Iganmu to Mile 2 before leaving office.
They should also stop deceiving themselves with the red lane, FG is still struggling to create space for the Lagos-Ibadan rail track in some places like Oshodi and Ikeja

seborrhic:
Something that took Ethiopia just 4years to complete(2011-2015) at a fraction of the cost Lagos is spending and still to spend.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addis_Ababa_Light_Rail
By 2022,if it's actually completed by then,it would have taken Lagos state government 14years and probably a billion dollars to complete a light rail from Mile 2 to Marina.
This will surely enter into the Guiness book of records.

LaudableXX:

Guy, which other light rail project in the world is as expensive as the one that Lagos has embarked upon? Over 100 million Euro has been spent, and yet it is unfinished. Instead of trying to do a root cause analysis, we are giving excuses of topography and swamps? Haba! If the same topography and swamp existed in another country, the light rail would have been completed and put into operation, since! How many years have they spent building that thing, and yet it is still uncompleted?

989900:
Red line is the real money making machine.

However, this Blue line is taking more than forever . . . reeks of administrative incompetence/malfeasance.

deomelo:

Sadly for you, they don't have to account for anything when it comes to this project because Lagosians are not blind, they see this project and serious work going on everyday, they see workers and engineers building massive rail bridge across the Lagoon everyday on their way to and from work. Lagosians are not stewpid or ignorant like a lot of trolls and irrelevant PDP losers.

Worry about your own village and useless village governors sometimes..