The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has approved the design of a proposed monorail project to connect Ikeja Railway Station with the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The project is expected to link the Lagos Red Line terminus in Ikeja with the airport, providing passengers and commuters with an alternative means of transportation and improving connectivity between the rail network and the airport complex.
Keyamo disclosed the development in a statement made available on Tuesday following a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and engineering teams from the ministry and FAAN.
According to the minister, the proposed monorail will feature five stations along the route: Ikeja Station, Domestic Airport Station, Beesam Station, Toll Gate Station and Murtala Muhammed International Airport Station.
He explained that the rail link would terminate at Terminal 1 of the international airport, which is currently undergoing reconstruction, describing the monorail as an integral component of the airport’s modernisation programme.
The approval follows earlier plans by the Federal Government to extend the Lagos Red Line rail service into the airport complex to improve access to the domestic and international terminals.
In June, Keyamo announced that the Federal Government was collaborating with the Lagos State Government on plans to extend the existing rail network from Ikeja to the airport.
Similarly, FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, disclosed on October 18 that discussions on financing the proposed airport rail link had reached an advanced stage.
The project is expected to connect the airport’s three terminals to the Red Line as part of broader efforts to modernise Nigeria’s major aviation gateway and improve passenger movement.
The ongoing airport upgrade includes the reconstruction of Terminal 1 and other infrastructure improvements designed to enhance airport operations. International flight services have continued under temporary arrangements during the reconstruction.
The approval of the monorail design represents another step towards developing the proposed airport rail connection. However, Keyamo did not announce a construction commencement date or a projected completion timeline for the project.
