The much-anticipated Lagos State Railway Corporation Bill, 2025, and the IBILE Energy Corporation Bill, 2025, has passed their second reading at the Lagos State House of Assembly plenary.
Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources, Sobur Oluwa, described the bill as transformative for the state’s energy sector.
“If passed into law, it will attract innovation, investment, and reshape the energy sector of the state,” he stated.
This move comes on the heels of the 1999 Constitution’s fifth alteration (No. 16 Act of 2023), which shifted railway corporations from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, thereby empowering state legislatures to act on such matters.
Noheem Babatunde Adams, the Majority Leader, highlighted its intent to deliver efficient and reliable transportation services.
“The bill proposes the establishment of a Governing Board to oversee the corporation’s operations, meticulously outlining its powers, roles, and responsibilities,” he said
It further details the Corporation’s authority in planning, infrastructure development, funding strategies, and ensuring rigorous auditing for transparency and accountability.
“With South Africa leading in Africa with a 20,926 km railway network and Nigeria currently at 3,798 km, Lagos – as Africa’s second-largest city economy after Cairo – must take the lead in innovative rail transport solutions,”
Dr. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Speaker, cautioned against the Corporation designation, noting that global trends lean towards deregulation and privatization of public entities.
“With the name ‘Corporation,’ this seems to be heading in a direction the world is moving away from.
“Governments are embracing partnerships and privatization to enhance efficiency, and we must consider aligning with that trend,” he remarked.
The bill has since been committed to the Committee on Transportation for further review.
