The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed plans to invest US $38m in rehabilitation of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos terminal. Minister of State for Aviation, Hadii Sirika, disclosed the report at the 2019 Stakeholders’ Forum.
The Minister explained that the airport needed a revamp due to its poor state which has outlived its usefulness. He further noted that the terminal was built to handle 300,000 at inception but the passengers it handles have grown to 8 million in the past three years.
“We require to spend US $38m as palliative on the refurbishment of the international terminal in Lagos. This airport was built in 1979 and intended to carry just 200,000 passengers annually, but it now does over eight million yearly. With the continuous over-used of its facilities, the amenities will not last for long,” said the minister.
Mr. Sirika said that he government would need to close down the terminal, but pointed out this would not happen until the ongoing construction of the second international terminal was concluded.
The airport will be featured with modern facility and due to the current number of usage, a permanent plumber will be deplored for the toilet facilities. Ongoing construction of the second international terminal would also be completed before the end of the year. The terminal, which is constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), commenced in 2013 with a promise that it would be completed in 20 months.
“We want the new terminal to come on stream before we commence any work on the old terminal. As it is, we can’t close it totally because it is the only international terminal we have in the state, but a part of it would be shut once the new terminal come onboard,” assured Mr. Hadii Sirika.