HomeGeneral
General
True

Is Nigeria the only West African country with light rail system?

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
Reading Time: 2 min.
Screenshot of the viral post on light rail in West Africa
Screenshot of the viral post on light rail in West Africa

Share

See the sources for this fact-check

AN X account, @AfricaFirsts, has posted a claim that Nigeria is the only West African country with a light rail system.

The account posted the claim with the caption: “Nigeria is the only West African country with a light rail system.”

The post has generated over 900 reposts, 4,000 likes, and 500,000 retweets as of July 21, 2025.

CLAIM

Nigeria is the only West African country with a light rail system.

Screenshot of the viral post on light rail in West Africa
Screenshot of the viral post on light rail in West Africa

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is TRUE.

A Light Rail Transit (LRT) system is a form of public transportation that typically involves electrically powered trains running on fixed tracks, often at street level or on elevated platforms. These systems are designed to serve high-density urban corridors, offering frequent stops and lighter infrastructure compared to heavy or commuter rail networks.

Nigeria is currently the only West African country with operational urban light rail systems. The Abuja Light Rail, inaugurated in 2018, was the first of its kind in the region. It was later joined by the Lagos Blue Line, which began commercial operations in 2023. Both systems offer intra-city transport services and are consistent with the global definition of light rail transit.

In Senegal, a major investment in rail infrastructure led to the commissioning of the Dakar Regional Express Train (TER) in December 2021. While the TER is fully electrified and modern, it is classified as a commuter rail system rather than a light rail. It serves longer-distance travel between Dakar and its suburbs, operates at higher speeds, and uses heavier rolling stock, distinguishing it from typical urban light rail services.

Ghana has also explored light rail solutions, particularly through the proposed Accra SkyTrain project. The initiative attracted attention as a futuristic urban transport concept but has remained stalled due to financial and logistical challenges.

As of July 2025, no light rail system is operational in Ghana. Other railway efforts in the country have largely focused on intercity and regional connectivity, including standard-gauge upgrades and the Ghana–Burkina Faso railway project, which are not categorised as light rail.

These developments across West Africa show growing interest in modern rail transport. However, when strictly considering operational urban light rail systems, only Nigeria currently has functioning infrastructure in that category. Thus, the claim that Nigeria is the only West African country with a light rail system is accurate.

VERDICT

The claim that Nigeria is the only West African country with a light rail system is TRUE. As of July 2025, only Nigeria has operational urban light rail systems, specifically the Abuja Light Rail and Lagos Blue Line. Other countries like Senegal and Ghana either run commuter rail or have uncompleted projects.

+ posts

Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here


Most Read

Recent Checks