Lagos Revolutionizes Transport: State Driver’s License and Green Line Rail Launch

Lagos set to launch own driver’s license as FG approves funding for green line project .Lagos, China sign MoU on project implementation

Global • Tue May 12 2026 • By Starkid

ALAUSA — The Lagos State Government has reached a landmark agreement with the Federal Government to launch its own state-issued driver’s license. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to overhaul the transportation ecosystem in Nigeria’s commercial nerve center, focusing on road safety, administrative efficiency, and the expansion of the state's ambitious rail mass transit network.

A New Era for Lagos Motorists

Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, revealed during the 2026 annual ministerial briefing that the Lagos State-owned driver’s license will be officially unveiled within the coming weeks. The project aims to eliminate the chronic delays often associated with the current federal licensing process.

Key features of the new licensing scheme include:

Dual Options: Motorists in Lagos will have the choice between the traditional Federal license or the new State-owned version.
Streamlined Issuance: The collaboration with the Federal Government is designed to ensure a faster turnaround time, allowing residents to obtain their permits without the usual months-long waiting periods.
Enhanced Safety: The state intends to use the local licensing database to better monitor driver behavior and enforce sanity on the ever-congested Lagos roads.

The Green Line: Connecting Marina to Lekki

In a massive win for the state’s "THEMES" agenda, the Federal Executive Council has officially approved funding for Phase 1 of the Lagos Green Line rail project. Scheduled to commence construction in the third quarter of 2026, the Green Line is set to become a vital artery for the Lekki-Epe corridor.

Spanning 68 kilometers, the Green Line will connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone, cutting through high-density areas including Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, and Sangotedo. With 17 planned stations, the rail is engineered to transport 35,000 passengers per hour. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed with the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the execution of this transformative infrastructure.

Expanding the Red and Blue Lines

The Commissioner also provided updates on the existing Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) projects. The Red Line, which stretches 37km from Agbado to Marina, has seen significant capacity upgrades. The state has procured 24 new coaches, configured into three sets of eight-coach trains, each capable of moving over 500 passengers per trip.

Furthermore, feasibility studies are currently underway for Phase 2 of the Red Line, which will link Oyingbo to the National Theatre, effectively creating an interchange with the existing Blue Line. This integration is expected to create a seamless multimodal transport network, significantly reducing the daily "commuter fatigue" experienced by millions of Lagosians.

As Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu enters the final stretch of his second term, these projects represent a multi-billion naira commitment to transforming Lagos into a modern, rail-connected megacity.