The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has emphasized the necessity of establishing a new

• Published On: 24 May 2023 at 13:18

Despite the implementation of palliative measures by the Federal Government to maintain the functionality of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, it is evident that the terminal is no longer able to operate efficiently.

During the ongoing FAAN's National Aviation Conference (FNAC2) in Abuja, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), emphasized the necessity of a new international airport in Lagos. He described the current airport facilities as outdated and stated that the existing measures implemented at the terminal were no longer effective. Yadudu stressed the need for the construction of a new terminal in Lagos, stating that the current infrastructure was obsolete and inadequate.

"The baggage landing, runway, central cooling system, and other essential components of the airport are over 40 years old and urgently require replacement. Travelers passing through the Lagos airport have also expressed their frustration over the deteriorating facilities, which have made the travel experience quite unpleasant."

"Passengers have expressed their disappointment over the inadequate capacity of the terminal, malfunctioning air conditioning system, and the outdated carousel (conveyor belt) that often fails to operate.

 "When the international terminal of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos was constructed and inaugurated in 1979, it was designed to accommodate one million passengers annually.

 "Currently, it handles a passenger movement of 12 million per year, far exceeding the initial projection of the planners, yet no additional facilities have been provided to cater to the growing number of passengers.

 "Furthermore, the lack of frequent renovations and maintenance of airport infrastructure has been a source of criticism from passengers who find it difficult to accept the deterioration of facilities.

 "In related news, Yadudu shared that according to the available passenger traffic report, Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri has the highest traffic volume in the South East, while Lagos leads in the South West, and Abuja leads in the North, with the potential to surpass Lagos in domestic passenger traffic in the near future."

"Owerri holds a significant position as one of our major contributors in the South East region. Meanwhile, Abuja is on the verge of surpassing Lagos in terms of domestic traffic, which is quite understandable considering Abuja's central and strategic location."