Keyamo suspends Nigeria Air project, announces MMIA's closure for repairs

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has suspended the Nigeria Air project, the concession project and other contracts stressing that he owes it to the government and Nigerians to give an honest assessment.

The minister said the concession and national carrier will be suspended until he briefs the President.

MMIA shuts down for repairs on October 1

Keyamo also said that Muritala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, will be shut down from October 1, 2023, for total maintenance work at the airport.

The minister therefore directed all international airlines to vacate the MMIA, from October 1, 2023.

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The minister disclosed this on Thursday during a tour at the international airports in Lagos, where he was accompanied by Kabir Yusuf Mohammed, MD, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.

The minister while speaking at the sideline of the airport tour, directed the airlines and companies operating in the airport to move to the new terminal, MMIA Terminal Two constructed by the Chinese company.

“All airlines should vacate the MMIA before the 1st of October, 2023 and relocate to MMIA terminal,” he said.

Keyamo also suspended all contracts, projects, and concessions in the sector until further notice.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.