No more airport traffic? What Lagos travelers stand to gain from FG's plan to extend rail network to Lagos airport

Precious Omolu 11:32 - 10 June 2026

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The Federal Government has unveiled plans to extend the Lagos Red Line rail network directly to the domestic and international wings of the airport to ease commuter bottlenecks.

The Federal Government plans to extend Lagos' rail network to Murtala Muhammed Airport, a move expected to reduce traffic congestion, improve airport access and strengthen Lagos' position as a major aviation hub in Africa.

The Federal Government is working with the Lagos State Government to extend the rail line from Ikeja Bus Stop to the domestic and international terminals of Murtala Muhammed Airport.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said Lagos accounts for about 67% of Nigeria's total air passenger traffic, making it the country's most important aviation gateway.
The rail project is part of broader efforts to modernise airport infrastructure, including a $500 million upgrade of Lagos airport, and position Lagos as a leading aviation and logistics hub in Africa.

Travelling to and from Lagos airport could become much easier in the coming years as the Federal Government moves to connect the state's rail network directly to the domestic and international terminals of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA).

The proposed project is expected to reduce the notorious road traffic around the airport corridor while improving access to Nigeria's busiest aviation hub.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the plan on Monday while speaking at the opening of Invest Lagos 3.0, an investment forum organised by the Lagos State Government.

According to the minister, discussions are already ongoing between the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Lagos State Government to extend the rail line that currently terminates at Ikeja Bus Stop into the airport complex.

"We are also planning to extend the rail line that ends at Ikeja Bus Stop. We are working with the Lagos State government to extend that rail line all the way to the local, through the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) and all the way to the international airport.

"That rail line is about to start. It's the extension of the rail line. So, Lagos is just ready for the next big step in terms of its aviation activities," Keyamo said.

How the airport rail connection will work

The upcoming project will pick up from the existing rail terminal at Ikeja, building out a critical link directly into the airport corridor.

The proposed route will link the existing rail corridor to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), continue through the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), which is operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, and eventually reach the international terminal.

If completed, passengers will have a direct rail option to access the airport, reducing dependence on road transport and helping to ease congestion along major routes leading to the airport.

The project is also part of wider efforts by the Federal Government to position Lagos as a leading aviation and logistics hub on the African continent.

Lagos handles most of Nigeria's air passengers

Alongside the rail link, a newly approved $500 million locally funded package will reconstruct and modernize the aging 50-year-old international terminal over the next 22 months.

Keyamo noted that Lagos remains the centre of Nigeria's aviation industry, accounting for about 67 per cent of all passenger traffic across the country's airports.

The minister said the state's strategic location gives it a competitive advantage over several African aviation hubs.

"Just six hours across the Atlantic, you will get to South America from the Lagos airport. Six hours down, you'll get to Southern Africa. Six hours to the Middle East, you'll get to Dubai or Qatar.

"Six hours up, you will get to Europe, either France or London. That is the equidistant advantage that Lagos also provides as a hub, the whole of Africa. So, we will soon catch up with hubs like Addis Ababa, with hubs like Togo."

Industry analysts have long argued that Lagos' geographic position, combined with improved infrastructure, could help the city attract more international airlines, cargo operations and transit passengers.

FG investing $500 million in Lagos airport upgrade

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo emphasized that Lagos is perfectly positioned to capture African transit traffic, sitting exactly six hours away from major global markets.

The minister also revealed that the Federal Government is investing around $500 million in the reconstruction and modernisation of the old international terminal at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.

The facility, which has served passengers for decades, is undergoing major upgrades aimed at improving passenger experience, increasing capacity and supporting future growth in both passenger and cargo traffic.

In addition, Keyamo said Nigeria now has seven international airports following the addition of Victor Attah International Airport in Akwa Ibom State and Maiduguri International Airport in Borno State.

He also pointed to the resolution of the long-running dispute between the Federal Government and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited as evidence of efforts to create a more investor-friendly environment in the aviation sector.

The minister urged both local and international investors to explore emerging opportunities in Nigeria's aviation industry, including the proposed airport project planned for the Lekki-Epe corridor by the Lagos State Government.

For millions of travellers who regularly battle traffic around the Lagos airport axis, the planned rail extension could eventually provide a faster and more predictable way to catch flights, while strengthening Lagos' ambition to become one of Africa's leading aviation hubs.