The Federal Government has taken another step towards improving access to Lagos airport after Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo approved the design of a proposed monorail linking Ikeja Railway Station to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
The planned transport system is expected to give travellers another option for reaching the airport, reducing their dependence on road transport.
Keyamo announced the development on Tuesday after a meeting with senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and engineering teams from both organisations.
The proposed line will have five stops: Ikeja Station, Domestic Airport Station, Beesam Station, Toll Gate Station and MMI Airport Station. It will terminate at Terminal 1 of the international airport, which is currently undergoing reconstruction.
The minister said, “Yesterday, I was joined by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Aviation, the MD of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the engineering teams from both the Ministry and FAAN.
“We appraised and approved the design of the Lagos Airport monorail that would take commuters and the flying public from the Ikeja Railway Station (where the Lagos Redline terminates) to the terminal point at the new Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 1 that is now being reconstructed.
“There would be 5 stations/stops along the way, namely, Ikeja Station, Domestic Airport Station, Beesam Station, Toll Gate Station and MMI Airport Station. The monorail is an integral part of the reconstruction of the nation’s major gateway at the MMIA in Lagos.”
The project forms part of the government’s broader plan to connect the airport to Lagos’ existing rail network and improve movement between the facility and other parts of the state.
In June, Keyamo disclosed that the Federal Government was collaborating with the Lagos State Government on extending the Red Line from Ikeja to the airport’s domestic and international terminals.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, had also said on October 18 that discussions on funding the airport rail connection were at an advanced stage.
The proposed monorail is expected to serve all three airport terminals as part of the ongoing modernisation programme.
Alongside the rail project, the upgrade includes the reconstruction of Terminal 1 and improvements to other facilities to enhance passenger movement and airport operations. International flights are continuing while the reconstruction proceeds under temporary arrangements.
However, the minister has yet to disclose a start date for construction or a timeline for completing the monorail project.
