FG Plans Rail Extension to Lagos Airport Terminals, Targets Aviation Hub Status
The Federal Government has announced plans to extend the Lagos rail network directly into the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), connecting the domestic and international terminals in a move designed to improve passenger access and reinforce the city’s ambition to become a leading aviation hub in Africa.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the proposal on Monday at Invest Lagos 3.0, an investment forum organised by the Lagos State Government.
Keyamo said discussions are already underway between his ministry and the Lagos State Government on the project, which will extend the rail line currently terminating at Ikeja Bus Stop through the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), onward to the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, and finally to the international terminal.
“That rail line is about to start. It is the extension of the rail line. So, Lagos is just ready for the next big step in terms of its aviation activities,” Keyamo said.
The proposed link would provide seamless rail access to Nigeria’s busiest airport, complementing the rapid expansion of Lagos’ mass transit network. Last month, the Lagos State Government reported that the Blue Line alone carried approximately 3.5 million passengers in 2025, with daily ridership reaching 15,000 commuters. Work is ongoing to extend that line to Okokomaiko, while services on the Red Line are also being scaled up.
Keyamo noted that Lagos accounts for about 67 per cent of all passenger traffic through Nigerian airports, a figure he said underlines the state’s strategic importance. He argued that the city’s geographical location gives it a natural advantage to compete with established continental hubs.
“Just six hours across the Atlantic, you will get to South America from the Lagos airport. Six hours down, you will get to Southern Africa. Six hours to the Middle East, you will get to Dubai or Qatar. Six hours up, you will get to Europe, either France or London. That is the equidistant advantage that Lagos provides as a hub for the whole of Africa. We will soon catch up with hubs like Addis Ababa and Lome,” he said.
Beyond the rail link, the minister highlighted significant infrastructure investments under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, revealing that about $500 million has been committed to reconstructing and modernising the international terminal at the Lagos airport. The overhaul is expected to transform the ageing facility into a modern gateway capable of handling growing passenger and cargo volumes.
Keyamo also announced the expansion of Nigeria’s international airport network, with the designation of Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo and Maiduguri International Airport bringing the total number of international airports in the country to seven.
He added that the resolution of the long-running dispute between Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and the federal government demonstrated the administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private sector participation in aviation, and urged both local and foreign investors to explore opportunities, including the proposed airport project in the Lekki-Epe corridor being promoted by the Lagos State Government.
If implemented, the rail extension would give millions of annual travellers direct, traffic-free access to the country’s busiest aviation gateway, support broader efforts to improve mobility in Nigeria’s commercial capital, and mark a significant step in the push to reposition Lagos as a competitive hub for passenger and cargo traffic across the continent.