Lagos Is Ready for You: Roads, Rails, Rivers and Raves

Lagos stands today as Africa’s most dynamic economic and cultural powerhouse - a megacity where ambition fuels innovation, and where energy meets endless opportunity. Under the visionary leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Lagos has embarked on one of the most ambitious mobility transformations in its history, delivering an integrated transport ecosystem built on roads, rails, rivers, and rapid movement.

As Mr. Governor often reminds us:“Our goal is simple but profound - to make movement seamless, to make the air cleaner, and to transform transportation into a channel of prosperity for all.”

For our global Lagos diaspora, the message this December is clear and heartfelt:Come home. Lagos is ready for you — and getting around the city has never been easier, safer, or more connected.

A City Evolving - Now Connected Like Never Before

Lagos is no longer a city where movement depends on a single mode of transport. Today, it is a harmonized, intermodal network where roads, rails, waterways, buses, taxis, and last-mile systems work together to move millions efficiently, affordably, and with dignity.

Whether you are returning for family, business, celebration, or exploration, Lagos has prepared an experience that makes every journey smoother than ever before.

What truly sets Lagos apart today is not only the expansion of infrastructure, but the way every mode of transport links together to form a single mobility experience.

You can now land anywhere in Lagos, board a bus, train, or ferry, and move effortlessly through the city’s cultural landmarks, business districts, coastal corridors, and heritage sites - all in a continuous, stress-free flow.

Imagine a Lagos December like this:

You could begin your morning in Ikorodu, cruise across the lagoon on a safe and comfortable ferry to Marina, explore the cultural heartbeat of Lagos Island, then connect seamlessly to Mile 2 via the Blue Line Rail before continuing by bus or car service straight to Badagry for beaches, history, and coastal serenity - one city, one day, zero stress.

Transport affordability has been strengthened through substantial state investment, including ₦14.9 billion in bus fare subsidies over six years  helping ensure inclusive and predictable mobility for all.

ROADS: Rebuilding Corridors, Reopening Opportunities

The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration continues to reshape Lagos through a sustained and strategic programme of road construction, expansion, and rehabilitation. In the past year alone, the government delivered 61 new roads, covering 56.52 km, and built five bridges across the state. Meanwhile, work is ongoing on 147 additional road and bridge projects across Lagos.

Routine maintenance and rehabilitation have also continued at scale: in 2024, the state repaired or upgraded at least 459 roads through full rehabilitation, patching, and maintenance works. These efforts are complemented by the widespread installation of solar-powered streetlights, ensuring safer, brighter, and more secure night-time movement across Lagos.

Since 2019, the administration has completed 172 road projects, amounting to a total of 177.93 km, demonstrating a steady and measurable expansion of Lagos’ road network under the THEMES+ agenda.

Major projects across the state including roads in the western corridor toward Badagry, upgrades along the Lekki–Epe and Lagos–Badagry expressways, and renewed networks in inner-city and suburban areas such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Alimosho, Kosofe, and Ifako-Ijaiye stand as clear evidence of the administration’s commitment to modern, efficient, and accessible road infrastructure.

For returning diaspora families, these ongoing improvements, both the addition of kilometres of new, quality roads and the rehabilitation of older routes, coupled with safer, well-lit streets mean faster, more predictable trips between airports, hotels, homes, cultural centres, beaches, and business hubs. In sum: movement across Lagos is now significantly smoother, safer, and more reliable than in years past.

RAIL: Lagos’ New Urban Backbone

Lagos has entered the era of modern intra-city rail travel - a transformative milestone.

Blue Line Rail (Marina–Mile 2)

• Fully operational

• 13 km of clean, electric, zero-emission transit

• Over 2 million passengers transported within the first year

• Five strategic stations cutting travel time between Island and Mainland

Red Line Rail (Agbado–Ebute Metta)

• 37 km mass transit line with world-class stations, bridges, and pedestrian infrastructure

• Recently enjoyed reduced fares to encourage ridership

• Seamlessly links with national rail and other Lagos transport modes

As Mr. Governor emphasizes:“We are building an intermodal transport system that gives people options in how they travel, live, work, and enjoy Lagos.”

The Lagos you remember has evolved, movement is now predictable, modern, and swift.

RIVERS & FERRIES: Reviving Lagos’ Blue Highways

With more than one-third of Lagos surrounded by water, the state has harnessed its aquatic advantage:

• 15 new 40-seater high-capacity ferries launched under the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda

• 78 electric ferries deployed, marking one of Africa’s largest clean-energy expansions in water transport

• Nigeria’s first locally fabricated electric-powered boats - quiet, safe, and eco-friendly

• LAGFERRY now operates 19 commercial boats across 24 routes, supported by 16 terminals and jetties

• Upgraded infrastructure: CCTV-monitored terminals, floating pontoons, emergency response units, and a modern Waterways Monitoring & Data Centre

As Mr. Governor noted during the unveiling of new ferries:“Water transportation is not supplementary. It is central to the Lagos of the future.”

For diaspora visitors, this means gliding across Lagos waters from Ikorodu to Marina, from Falomo to Badagry, or from Ajah to VI - with reliability and calm waterside beauty.

BUSES, RIDE-HAILING & LAST-MILE ACCESS: Completing the Journey

The final links of the mobility chain have been strengthened:

• Over 60 million passengers moved by LBSL (2019–2025)

• Over 42,000 passengers daily, with 1,000+ daily trips

• 500 First- and Last-Mile buses replacing unsafe informal transit

• 560 medium-capacity buses added to commuter routes

• More than 1,000 brand-new LagRide SUVs for safe, regulated ride-hailing

• Multi-modal interchange hubs across Mile 2, Marina, and more

Wherever you are heading - hotel, family home, office, beach house, or event venue - Lagos now provides multiple reliable options.

WHY THIS DECEMBER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO COME HOME

Lagos has entered a new era defined by mobility, culture, and connection. Movement no longer feels uncertain; it feels empowering.

1.        Mobility Has Never Been Easier

Expanded roads, efficient buses, modern rail lines, and reliable ferries make movement across Lagos faster, smoother, and far more comfortable.

2.       Tourism, Culture, and Adventure - Now Seamlessly Linked

From mainland vibrance to Island sophistication to Badagry’s coastal calm, December in Lagos can now unfold in a single seamless itinerary.

3.       Business + Leisure, Effortlessly Combined

Entrepreneurs, creatives, professionals, and returnees now enjoy easier access to markets, event centers, innovation districts, and collaborative spaces across Lagos.

4.       A Modern, Intermodal, Cosmopolitan Lagos

The Lagos of today is rapidly becoming a global destination - powered by integrated mobility and a renewed sense of possibility.

LAGOS AWAITS YOU — COME HOME, CELEBRATE, BELONG

If you have been away - studying, working, or exploring this December offers the perfect opportunity to rediscover a Lagos that is refreshed, connected, and ready to welcome you home. With roads you can trust, trains that shorten distances, boats that glide across the lagoon, and buses and ride services prepared to take you the last mile, Lagos is ready to serve you better than ever.

LASDA is committed to making this homecoming seamless by strengthening diaspora engagement, providing accurate information, offering support for travel and relocation logistics, and ensuring that every Lagos returnee feels connected, informed, and valued.

This season is your moment to reconnect, to celebrate, to explore, and to invest in the city that continues to grow with you in mind. Welcome home. Lagos is ready for you