Financing discussions for the proposed extension of the Lagos Red Line rail to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) have reached an advanced stage, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, has said.
The project, being planned by the Federal Government in collaboration with FAAN and the Lagos State Government, is expected to connect the airport’s three terminals to the Red Line, improving access between the city and the airport.
Speaking at the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon, Portugal, Kuku said efforts were ongoing to finalise the project’s financing structure.
“We are actually working on completing the financing of the capital structure for that project,” she said.
According to her, the proposed rail link will feature five stops within the airport, connecting passenger terminals and cargo facilities to the wider rail network.
Kuku said the project formed part of the broader modernisation of the Lagos airport, which is aimed at improving infrastructure, operational efficiency and the passenger experience.
She noted that Lagos accounts for 68 per cent of Nigeria’s air traffic, while Lagos, Abuja and Kano collectively handle about 80 per cent of the country’s passenger traffic.
The FAAN chief said the agency was working to balance investment in the country’s busiest airports with the infrastructure needs of other airports under its management.
She added that safety remained a major factor in determining investment priorities, with significant resources directed towards airside infrastructure, runway rehabilitation and improved airfield lighting systems.
Kuku said FAAN had focused on rehabilitating major airports, particularly the country’s primary international facilities, over the past three years.
On the Lagos airport modernisation project, she disclosed that Terminal 1 was undergoing a comprehensive overhaul, although there were no plans to expand it.
Instead, the renovation will focus on redesigning key areas, including immigration and customs facilities, improving service-counter efficiency and introducing modern technology to streamline passenger movement.
“We’re changing the layout with immigration and customs, the number of counters that you have, making it a lot more passenger-friendly, ensuring that we have modernised technology and infrastructure that makes travel easier for passengers,” she said.
The proposed airport rail connection is expected to provide travellers with a more convenient alternative for accessing the airport while strengthening integration between Lagos’ urban rail network and its major aviation hub.