FG to deliver Abuja airport’s second runway in 12 months

The Federal Government has said it will deliver the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) within 12 months.

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, who made this known during the inspection of facilities at the NAIA on Tuesday in Abuja, said the government had resolved the lingering issues on community compensation that affected the initiative’s commencement.

“On the second runway, I have to go and meet the FCT Minister to clear the obstacle. As of today, my report is that the communities have started receiving the money we disbursed.

“The Chinese company handling the project said it would clear the place next week and move to the site. So, we will invite Mr. President to come and commission it,” he said.

Keyamo said for Abuja, as a capital city, he must work with relevant agencies and the National Assembly to ensure the project is delivered in 12 months.

According to the minister, the project had been controversial by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime.

He described the second runway and ancillary facilities project as low-hanging fruit, noting that the project would serve as an alternative to the first runway in the airport.

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Keyamo said the government would also intensify efforts to improve chillers, lifts, and escalators at the nation’s airports.

According to him, passengers’ interest is in a conducive environment at the airport.

“I have told them that my mentality to some of those things is that, for example, most of the obsolete chillers, we will buy new ones instead of fixing them repeatedly.

“Cost of fixing them three times can buy a new one. There are good brands all over the world. Let us purchase high-quality lifts. The ones I saw here are not good enough.

“I know about lifts. I will not be here and going to buy substandard lifts. Lift is not what you buy weekly. I will not spend money repairing them every two months,” he said.

The minister said contracting the facility to the private sector would be better than holding someone responsible for any abnormality.

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.