President Bola Tinubu has signed off on a N712.3 billion plan to comprehensively upgrade the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, describing the move as part of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund’s effort to revitalise Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Disclosing the decision after Thursday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, described it as a historic move.
“This is not a patchwork. We’re stripping the building down to its carcass and rebuilding with full mechanical, electrical, and plumbing works,” Keyamo said.
He said the extensive rehabilitation will be the first full-scale overhaul of the airport’s old terminal since it was built. The contract has been awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the same company behind Terminal 2.
According to Keyamo, the scope includes expanding the apron, constructing new access roads and bridges, and delivering a complete internal systems upgrade. The project is expected to span 22 months.
He added that the domestic wing apron will be expanded in three phases covering over 82,000 square metres and valued at N24.3 billion to accommodate more aircraft.
In addition to the Lagos works, the minister noted that runway and lighting upgrades will be carried out in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano to enhance aircraft landing capabilities, especially in low-visibility periods like the Harmattan.
“This is a heartwarming moment for the aviation sector. It’s the largest coordinated aviation infrastructure upgrade in Nigeria’s recent history.”
Before Tinubu, Buhari approved N106bn loan for Lagos airport
In 2012, late President Muhammadu Buhari approved the sum of N106 billion loan from the Exim Bank of China to construct 5 new international terminals, including a passenger terminal in Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
According to information from the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) website, construction began in late 2013, and the new international terminal was commissioned by Buhari on 22 March 2022.
The new terminal was said to have the capacity to process 14 million passengers annually.
30-year concession for Enugu airport
Keyamo also announced that FEC approved a 30-year concession of the Akano Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to the Aero Alliance Consortium, following their unsolicited proposal to take over both the passenger and incomplete cargo terminals.
“It is no secret that the government spends the profits from Lagos, Abuja and Kano to keep smaller airports running. This model is unsustainable,” he said.
He explained that the deal is part of a broader Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach aimed at revitalising underperforming airports. The focus, he said, will be on developing non-aeronautical revenues like malls, conference centres, and commercial hubs.
Keyamo stressed that transparency would be central to the process: “We will reveal all the players, their roles, and capacities. We’ve carried the unions along from the very beginning.”
He recalled that similar concession plans under former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023 — involving Abuja and Kano airports — were criticised by the Senate and eventually paused for review. Keyamo confirmed that Tinubu’s administration has restarted the process with “a more transparent” approach.
N49.9bn perimeter surveillance system for Lagos airport
FEC also approved a N49.9 billion project to boost security at the Lagos airport with a modern perimeter surveillance system. The move follows a series of safety concerns linked to wildlife incursions and unauthorised access to airport runways.
“There have been too many near misses — aircraft encountering animals or unauthorized persons on runways,” Keyamo said, referencing recent incidents including deer collisions at other airports.
The new security measures will include a 14.6-kilometre metal fence, solar-powered floodlights, CCTV cameras, a centralised alert system, and advanced intrusion detection technology.
“The surveillance system we are introducing will be the kind you find in modern airports — any movement along the fence line triggers an alert,” the minister explained.
The project, expected to be completed within 24 months, will also include an operational road around the airport to eliminate reliance on human patrols.
This initiative forms part of a broader package of aviation upgrades, including runway and lighting improvements across Port Harcourt (N42.1 billion), Kano (N46.3 billion), and Lagos (N44.1 billion), aimed at installing Category 2 Instrument Landing Systems (CAT II) to reduce weather-related flight disruptions.
