Moronfolu Adeyemi
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has approved the design of a proposed monorail project linking the Ikeja Railway Station to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The project is expected to connect the Lagos Red Line terminus in Ikeja to the airport, providing commuters and air passengers with an alternative to road transportation.
Keyamo disclosed the development in a statement made available on Tuesday after 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 the agency.
He said the proposed monorail would have five stations, connecting Ikeja to Terminal 1 of the international airport, which is currently undergoing reconstruction.
Keyamo stated: “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.
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“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 approval follows earlier Federal Government plans to extend the Lagos Red Line rail service into the airport complex to improve connectivity between the airport and other parts of the state.
In June, Keyamo announced that the government was working with the Lagos State Government on plans to extend the existing rail network from Ikeja to the airport’s domestic and international terminals.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, also disclosed on October 18 that discussions on financing the proposed airport rail link were at an advanced stage.
The project is expected to connect the airport’s three terminals to the Red Line as part of a broader modernisation programme.
The airport upgrade includes the reconstruction of Terminal 1 and other infrastructure improvements aimed at enhancing passenger movement and airport operations.
Reconstruction work is continuing while international flight operations are maintained through temporary arrangements.
The approval of the monorail design marks another step towards developing the proposed airport rail connection.
However, Keyamo’s statement did not specify when construction would begin or when the project would be completed.
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