At its peak the Light Rail project in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, will employ some 8,000 persons, so says Governor Babatunde Fashola, who anticipates an upsurge in economic activities when the project takes off. There is palpable joy among Lagosians of all ages and classes on account of the Light Rail project, and the anticipated benefits of same.

From an economy animated by buses, taxis, trailers, and characterized by not a few pot-holed roads, as well as massive traffic congestion, a big change is now coming upon the Lagos environs, with the special focus on railways which the state has embraced.

In a short while, the first 8 kilometers of the blue line light rail project would be completed. The blue line will cover some 27 Kilometres running from Okokomaiko to CMS in central Lagos. This lofty work is being done by a construction firm, Chinese Civil Engineering Company limited (CCECC), a company which has been in the country for 30 years. Altogether, there will be seven rail networks in the state. These are the red, blue, green, yellow, purple, brown and orange lines.

The light rail project is part of the states intermodal transport scheme which is aimed at using rail, water and land to create an efficient transport system for the people. The horizon of the state is bound to change when the trains come, and these will have a revolutionary impact on the entire transport system, and even the quality of life itself. The light Rail project also has significance for art and even tourism.

Recently, the GM National Theatre, Lagos said in an interview that the completed Light Rail would have a station just by the National Theatre and its destination would be Ebutte-Metta .This means more theatre loving persons would have a quick means of travelling down to and from the theatre.

On the whole the rail project would reduce the pressure of vehicular traffic on the roads,as well as spark off a range of economic activities, beyond the envisaged 27 kilometres of roads. The blue line would have 13 stations.