The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) have signed an agreement to establish a Railway Transportation Training Centre aimed at developing the skilled workforce needed to support Lagos' expanding rail network and position the state as a regional rail training hub.
The agreement, signed in Lagos, marks a significant step in the state's drive to build a sustainable rail transport system through human capital development, technology transfer and operational excellence.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, LAMATA Managing Director, Engineer Abimbola Akinajo, said the centre would focus on railway operations and maintenance, equipping young Nigerians with skills in signalization, electrification, customer service, track maintenance and rail system management.
She noted that Lagos currently operates two rail lines and plans to expand its network under the Strategic Transport Master Plan, with the number of rail corridors expected to increase from six to eleven, in addition to a monorail system.
According to Akinajo, the training centre will run a three-year pilot programme targeted at graduates and Higher National Diploma holders, with a goal of producing at least 500 trained professionals annually. She added that about 400 Nigerians have already undergone rail-related training through existing programmes.
Akinajo said the initiative would help ensure that the operation and maintenance of rail infrastructure are increasingly driven by locally trained professionals, strengthening the long-term sustainability of the system.
Vice President of CCECC, Sun Xiangchun, described the project as a major milestone in the development of indigenous railway expertise and sustainable rail operations in Nigeria.
He said the centre would combine classroom instruction, simulation-based learning, practical training and professional skills assessment to produce world-class railway personnel capable of supporting the growth of Lagos' rail sector.
Xiangchun noted that CCECC's experience in the development and operation of the Lagos Blue and Red Rail Lines, as well as similar training initiatives in Nigeria, Djibouti and Uzbekistan, would provide a strong foundation for the project.
He expressed confidence that the facility would evolve into a leading railway training hub for Nigeria and West Africa, while serving as a model for China-Nigeria cooperation in infrastructure development and vocational education.
Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to the successful implementation of the project, describing it as a strategic investment in people, innovation and the future of urban rail transportation in Lagos and across the region.