- Railway, IBILE Energy Bills Scale Second Reading in Lagos Assembly
- The Railway Corporation Bill is designed to significantly improve rail transport services across Lagos
- The IBILE Energy Corporation Bill 2025 aims to establish the IBILE Energy Corporation
The Lagos State House of Assembly has approved the appointment of several prominent individuals to lead various key commissions and agencies.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a bid to transform the state’s transportation and energy sectors, the Assembly also advanced two major legislative proposals during a recent plenary session, with both bills passing their second reading.
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The Lagos State Railway Corporation Bill 2025 and the IBILE Energy Corporation Bill 2025 represent a major legislative effort to modernize infrastructure and strengthen the state’s economic framework.
The Railway Corporation Bill is designed to significantly improve rail transport services across Lagos. This initiative follows the Fifth Alteration of the 1999 Constitution (Act No. 16 of 2023), which moved railway matters from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, giving state governments the authority to legislate on railway operations.
Majority Leader Noheem Babatunde Adams, who sponsored the railway bill, emphasized that the legislation aims to establish an efficient and dependable railway system for the people of Lagos.
“The bill proposes the establishment of a Governing Board to oversee the corporation’s operations, meticulously outlining its powers, roles, and responsibilities. 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,” Hon. Adams asserted, emphasizing the bill’s potential to set global best practices for railway corporations.
While endorsing the substance of the bill, Abiodun Tobun recommended that the Commissioner for Transportation be included on the board and proposed that board members be drawn from each of the five geographical divisions of the state.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House, Dr. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, raised a key concern about the title of the bill, calling for a review of its naming for clarity and appropriateness.
He 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,” he remarked. “Governments are embracing partnerships and privatization to enhance efficiency, and we must consider aligning with that trend.”
The bill has now been referred to the Committee on Transportation for further examination and refinement.
In the same plenary session, the IBILE Energy Corporation Bill 2025 also scaled its second reading. The proposed legislation aims to establish the IBILE Energy Corporation, with the goal of reshaping and advancing Lagos State’s energy sector.
Sobur Oluwa, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources, described the bill as a game-changer for the state’s energy development, emphasizing its potential to drive significant progress in the sector. “If passed into law, it will attract innovation, investment, and reshape the energy sector of the state,” he stated.
The Speaker committed the IBILE Energy Corporation Bill to the Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources, mandating a report within two weeks.
FURTHER READING
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