On the the Belt and Road rail transit equipment outbound map, CRRC Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. added a new order for West Africa: three diesel multiple units (24 in total) customized for the urban rail transit red line in Lagos, Nigeria, have been delivered and delivered to the local area. It is planned to be put into the passenger transport camp by the end of 2026 to supplement the transport capacity of Lagos, a north-south backbone light rail.

The Lagos Red Line is an important urban rail transit project in West Africa. The first phase of the line has a total length of 26.5 kilometers, starting from Agbado in Ogun State in the north and ending at Oyinbo in Lagos in the south, connecting densely populated and commercially active urban areas such as Ikeja and Yaba. It will be officially opened in February 2024.

This line shares a common channel with the existing conventional railway and does not currently have the conditions for full electrification. Therefore, the internal combustion multiple unit scheme is selected to adapt to the current situation of the line, without the need for large-scale renovation of the power supply system. The construction and operation costs are more in line with local actual needs.

The new car delivered this time adopts an 8-car configuration, with a maximum passenger capacity of 2000 people per train. It is specially optimized for the tropical environment of Lagos, which is hot, rainy, and windy. The body structure, power system, air conditioning, and protection standards have been strengthened to adapt to the complex operating environment in Africa.

Before the arrival of this batch of new cars, the operating vehicles on the Lagos Red Line were relatively limited, mainly relying on refurbished trains purchased from external sources, with only 9 daily trips. During peak hours, transportation capacity was tight and waiting times were long. With the successive launch of three diesel multiple units by CRRC Dalian, the daily frequency of the line will be increased to 24, and the departure interval will be significantly reduced, effectively alleviating the commuting difficulties of millions of residents along the line. The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority LAMATA stated that these vehicles are the core equipment for the expansion of the Red Line and a key step in improving the local public transportation system.

Many people easily confuse the Lagos Red Line and Blue Line projects: both lines are constructed by China Civil Engineering Corporation and supplied by CRRC Dalian, but their vehicle positioning is completely different. The blue line is an electrified light rail equipped with electric multiple units; Due to the limitation of collinearity conditions, diesel multiple units are selected for the red line.

The dual solution of one electric and one internal combustion engine reflects the design concept of Chinese equipment enterprises adapting to local conditions and customizing according to needs. It is also a microcosm of CRRC Dalian's deep cultivation of the Nigerian rail transit market. Previously, the company has provided multiple locomotives and urban rail vehicles for the Blue Line, Abuja City Railway, and Rai Railway.

From the perspective of road network planning, the Lagos Red Line is planned to be extended to Murtala Mohammed International Airport in the long term, connecting the airport with the main urban rail transit channel. In the future, it will also be connected with the Blue Line, rapid transit, and water buses to build a multi-mode comprehensive transportation network in Lagos.

The landing of this diesel multiple unit is not only another landmark achievement of China's rail transit equipment export to West Africa, but also lays the foundation for the continuous expansion of Nigeria's urban rail transit. With mature and reliable diesel multiple unit solutions, it provides low-cost and highly reliable rail commuting solutions for overseas cities that currently do not have the conditions for electrification transformation.Editor/XuNing