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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has defended the federal government’s decision to spend N712 billion on the renovation of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, stressing that the project is essential to replace decaying infrastructure, expand capacity and meet global aviation standards.
Keyamo gave the explanation in a statement on Sunday, following the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) recent approval of the transformation project.
FEC had, during its Monday meeting, approved N919.10 billion for multiple airport projects nationwide.
He described the initiative as “massive infrastructural upgrades” across the country’s key gateways, with MMIA taking priority.
“The MMIA International Terminal 1 will be stripped to the carcass and fully rebuilt, with all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems replaced,” Keyamo said.
He noted that the contract, awarded to CCECC, also covers Terminal 2 works, including apron expansion, access roads, bridges, and other associated infrastructure.
Providing further clarity, the minister explained: “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.”
He emphasised that Terminal One had become unfit for modern aviation demands.
“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,” he stated.
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On Terminal Two, the minister revealed plans to expand the facility and correct long-standing design flaws: “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 the escalators when we are departing. It is a design error we intend to correct,” Keyamo explained.
He added that advanced technology would be integrated into the redesigned airport to align with global standards and assured Nigerians that the initiative would be fully funded domestically.
“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 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,” he said.
Keyamo further pledged transparency and stakeholder involvement throughout the project’s duration.
“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,” he stated.
The minister also urged Nigerians to make global cost comparisons for a better understanding of the project’s value.
“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,” he said.
Finally, Keyamo drew attention to underused facilities in other cities while inviting the public to watch a visual presentation of the proposed revamp.
“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,” the statement concluded.
