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Keyamo approves design for monorail linking Ikeja Railway Station directly with Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
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Five stops planned at Ikeja, Domestic Airport, Beesam, Toll Gate and MMI Airport stations.
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Project will connect the Lagos Red Line with the airport as part of the ongoing reconstruction of MMIA Terminal 1.
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Federal Government is yet to announce the project cost, construction commencement date or completion timeline.
October 20, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has approved the design of a proposed five-station monorail that will connect the Ikeja Railway Station with the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, announced the approval on Tuesday, saying the project would provide a direct rail connection between the Lagos Red Line terminus at Ikeja and the airport.
The proposed monorail will terminate at the new MMIA Terminal 1, which is currently undergoing reconstruction.
Keyamo said the design was appraised and approved during a meeting involving the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, and engineering teams from the ministry and FAAN.
“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”, Keyamo said.
According to the minister, the proposed rail link will have five stations along the route.
“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”, he added.
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The project is expected to provide commuters and air passengers with an alternative to road transportation between Ikeja and the airport while connecting MMIA to the Lagos rail network.
The latest development follows earlier moves by the Federal Government to establish a rail connection between the Lagos Red Line and the airport complex.
Keyamo had in June disclosed that the Federal Government was working with the Lagos State Government on plans to extend rail connectivity from Ikeja to the domestic and international terminals of the airport.
On October 18, FAAN Managing Director, Onabanjo-Kuku, said 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 the wider redevelopment of MMIA.
The Federal Government is currently reconstructing Terminal 1 and undertaking other infrastructure upgrades at the airport, with international flight operations continuing through temporary arrangements during the work.
The proposed monorail forms part of the airport modernisation programme and is intended to improve movement between the terminals and the wider Lagos transportation network.
The approval of the design marks another stage in the development of the airport rail project.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
