FG Collaborate With Lagos To Extend Rail Service To Airport
By Sherif Salau
Lagos commuters and air travellers could soon enjoy easier access to Murtala Muhammed International Airport as plans emerge to extend the Red Line rail service to the airport, with five proposed stops within the airport area.
The Federal Government, working with the Lagos State Government, is preparing to push the Red Line beyond its current terminus around Ikeja and into the airport grounds. The extension is expected to feature four or five dedicated stops serving Terminal 1, Terminal 2, the cargo area, administrative offices and the Bissam axis.
Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, confirmed the development during an inspection of ongoing terminal remodelling works.
“The whole idea is to connect the city to the airport. So from the airport, you should be able to get into Marina almost immediately. You shouldn’t have to use cars,” she said.
The project is being driven by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, with FAAN as the primary end-user. Once completed, travellers will be able to board a train at the airport and travel into central Lagos without depending solely on the often congested road network.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has also outlined the route, noting that the line is expected to run from Ikeja through the General Aviation Terminal and MMA2, with a stop at the Air Force Base, before reaching the international terminal.
Preparatory work, including environmental impact assessments, design reviews and procurement processes, is currently under way. Construction has not yet begun, but officials say the plans have received presidential approval and are progressing toward formal commencement.
The rail extension forms part of broader efforts to modernise MMIA, including the ongoing rehabilitation of Terminals 1 and 2 and the construction of a new link bridge between the terminals, which FAAN aims to open before the December peak travel season.
