FG to rebuild Lagos Airport terminals, reveals plan for expansion
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
… airport to meet global standards through technologies.
The Federal Government has revealed an ambitious plan to overhaul and expand the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, as part of its drive to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure and boost passenger experience.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the details of the project in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to Keyamo, the approval for the transformation project was secured at the Federal Executive Council meeting last week.
He explained that MMIA has two international terminals, each with a unique history and function.
“To further enunciate our plans for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, let me further clarify the approval we secured from the Federal Executive Council Meeting last week.
“There are two international terminals in Lagos. Terminal One is that old building directly facing the long stretch of road leading to the airport, built and commissioned in 1979 by the Obasanjo-led military regime.
“It has two wings known as Wing D and Wing E. Terminal Two is the new building on the right-hand side as you drive into the airport, started by President Jonathan’s government with a Chinese loan, completed during President Buhari’s government (with the loan), and made operational during President Tinubu’s first one month in office”, the statement partly read.
However, Keyamo noted that Terminal One has suffered significant neglect and degradation over time, making its complete reconstruction imperative.
He said, “Due to years of neglect and because the traffic over time quadrupled beyond its capacity, the building and facilities at Terminal One became totally decrepit.
“We have been engaged in some patch jobs over the years just to make it a bit presentable. Now, shorn of all the rhetoric, what we simply want to do is to totally strip down that building, including the entire roof (leaving only the carcass), then re-design/reconfigure it and build a brand-new airport for the nation to meet modern, international standards that can also cater for the increased traffic. Both Wings D and E would be affected.”
On the new terminal, the government also plans to expand its capacity and address design flaws affecting traveller convenience, stating, “As for the new Terminal (Two), we got approval to expand the building and the apron (where aircraft park for boarding and disembarkation) in order to accommodate more aircraft, including wide-body aircraft.
“That is not all; we are constructing two new independent ring roads in and out of the airport (one for departure and one for arrival) and a bridge that will take travellers directly to the upper floor of Terminal Two departure lounge, instead of lifting our luggage up the escalators when we are departing. It is a design error we intend to correct.”
He further revealed that smart technologies will be integrated into the revamped airport to meet global standards. “We have also introduced smart solutions to the new designs in order to deliver a smart airport to Nigerians that can compete with any airport in the world.”
In addition, Keyamo emphasised that the redevelopment would be funded through a homegrown initiative, not foreign loans. He also pledged transparency in the project’s execution and encouraged public involvement.
“In all, Nigerians will be proud of what we are going to deliver. And take note, this will not be done by a loan from anywhere, but by the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, which is one of the gains made from the removal of subsidies.
“As the work progresses, we will be inviting the press, civil society groups, members of the National Assembly and interested Nigerians on regular tours of the facility to monitor the extent and quality of work. It is part of our national heritage and we should all rightly be interested in the final outcome.”
To justify the cost and demonstrate value for money, Keyamo urged Nigerians to draw comparisons with similar projects globally. “I will also encourage our compatriots to simply google the cost of most modern airports built around the world in the last few years (including those in Africa like Angola, etc.) and you will agree with me that the Bureau for Public Procurement that scrutinised and fixed the final cost of this project did a fantastic job for the nation”, the minister noted.
He concluded by highlighting underutilised terminals in other parts of the country and inviting the public to a visual presentation of the proposed works.
“And as a final word, it is important to tell Nigerians that we also have brand-new terminals in Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt. However, presently, they are all underutilised due to the traffic that is less than thirty per cent of their capacities.
“For further explanation and transparency, we have produced a video (which I attach hereunder) that graphically explains the proposed works upon which we are embarking. I hope you find it useful”, Keyamo’s statement concluded.
