The Federal Government has approved the design of a proposed monorail that will connect Ikeja Railway Station to Terminal 1 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the approval on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following a review involving officials from the ministry and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). The project is expected to connect the airport to the Lagos Red Line rail network and provide passengers with an alternative to road transport.
Five Stops Planned for the Lagos Airport Monorail
According to Festus Keyamo, the proposed Lagos Airport monorail will have five stops: Ikeja Station, Domestic Airport Station, Beesam Station, Toll Gate Station and MMIA Airport Station.
The route will start at Ikeja Railway Station, the final stop on the Lagos Red Line. From there, the monorail will pass through Domestic Airport Station, Beesam Station and Toll Gate Station before ending at MMIA Airport Station, located at Terminal 1, Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
This connection will allow passengers on the Lagos Red Line to change trains at Ikeja and continue to the airport by monorail. It will give passengers another option besides travelling by road between the railway network and the airport.
Project Forms Part of MMIA Reconstruction
The proposed Lagos Airport monorail is part of the Federal Government’s wider efforts to modernise Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) and improve access to its facilities.
Terminal 1 of the international airport is currently undergoing reconstruction to improve passenger movement and airport operations. The planned monorail is expected to complement these improvements by providing a rail connection between the airport and Lagos’ existing transport network.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, said on October 18, 2026, that discussions on financing the planned airport rail link had reached an advanced stage. She noted that efforts were ongoing to finalise the project’s financing structure. Channels
However, the approval of the monorail design does not mean construction has begun. The government has yet to announce a construction start date or completion timeline for the project.
While the proposed monorail is expected to improve access to Murtala Mohammed International Airport, other developments are also shaping airport operations in Lagos. One of these is the Federal Government’s settlement with Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited over the management and operation of airport facilities.
Federal Government Settles Dispute With Bi-Courtney
The Federal Government has reached a settlement with Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited over a long-running dispute concerning the management and operation of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), a domestic terminal operated by the private company.
Under the revised agreement, the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), also known as the Old Domestic Airport, remains under federal government ownership and will be operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). The agreement also provides for revised concession fee payments to FAAN from MMA2.
Bi-Courtney is also permitted to expand its aircraft parking apron to accommodate regional flights within Africa, subject to the terminal’s capacity. The agreement further provides for separate lease arrangements for a four-star hotel and conference centre near the airport, which have remained unfinished for years.
The settlement clarifies the responsibilities of the government and Bi-Courtney regarding the airport facilities and their operations.
What the Developments Mean for Lagos Airport
The proposed monorail and the settlement between the Federal Government and Bi-Courtney represent separate efforts to improve transport access and airport operations in Lagos.
If completed as planned, the monorail could make it easier for passengers to travel between Ikeja Railway Station and Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Meanwhile, the settlement is expected to improve coordination between the government and Bi-Courtney, restore revenue payments to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and support further development of airport facilities. The benefits of these developments will depend on how the plans are implemented, including the progress of the monorail project and the completion of facilities covered
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