The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has opened up a part of the old Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) terminal to compliment the new international terminal in order to ease facilitation of passengers through the airport.

Recalled that Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development had few weeks ago directed airlines and companies operating at the MMIA old airport terminal to move to the new terminal, constructed by the Chinese company, so as to allow for total repair and overhaul of the old terminal.

The Minister had given a deadline of October, 1 2023 for the relocation.

However, the management of FAAN had to fast track the implementation of this directive in response to the recent fire outbreak which raised safety concerns and affected passengers’ movements.

Read also: Congestion at new MMIA terminal halts operations, leaves passengers stranded

The development has since led to influx of passengers at the new terminal.

Airlines have since grappled with congestion at the terminal, which has resulted in flight delays and cancellations, leaving several passengers stranded.

While eight airlines were initially operating at the new terminal prior to the relocation, 13 more airlines had relocated to the terminal making 21 airlines processing from the facility.

In a statement by Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, Director Public Affairs & Consumer Protection stated, “This is to inform the travelling public that the Minister of Aviation has graciously allowed the use of the D Wing of the Old Murtala Muhammed International terminal to compliment the New International Terminal in order to ease facilitation of passengers through the airport .

“The use of the D Wing for processing of passengers has since commenced. The old international terminal will be renovated in phases,” Yakubu-Funtua said.

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.

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