President Muhammadu on Tuesday said his administration has concluded plans to concession the nation’s airports in order to enhance service delivery in the aviation sector.
The President also assured that the Federal Government will immediately commence plans to link airports in the country with rail infrastructure, in line with global aviation infrastructure practices.
Buhari further disclosed that the “aviation ministry will be issuing requests for proposals before the end of March, announce the new partners in the second quarter of this year, and hand over the airports before the end of the fourth quarter of 2022”.
Buhari stated this while commissioning the multi-billion naira ultra-modern terminal at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. According to him, the improvement is projected to increase airport operations and management services to about 14 million passengers per annum, with the attendant positive multiplier effect, creating over 3,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities for the teeming youths, increased inflow of foreign direct investments and exponential growth in the gross domestic product of Nigeria.
The President said the commissioning of the airport terminal with modern infrastructure bears testimony to the commitment of the current administration to the development of world-class infrastructure across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
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The terminal which is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities is expected to provide maximum comfort for passengers.
The current administration has shown commitment to providing facelifts for major airports in the country, including the Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt international airport terminal buildings.
The new MMIA Lagos terminal which was built by the CCECC, working with four local consulting firms, is equipped with a 60-bed hotel facility for passengers’ comfort.
Located on 50,887 square metres, the airport consists of four-storey main terminal building, three-storey finger building, two-storey cargo terminal building, 82,925 square metres apron and external works, such as bridges and roads.
It is also equipped with a 10ELV system, a three-dimensional multi-layer sorting baggage system, including five arrival and six departure system, seven barding bridges, 60 functional hotels, restaurant and leisure facilities.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, while also speaking at the event, described the airport as a landmark project that will deepen the nation’s infrastructure. He praised the current administration for adding a facelift to the airport constructed over 40 years ago.
Sanwo-Olu who noted that the airport accounts for over 50 percent of the passenger traffic in Nigeria, said the project will add value to the nation’s aviation industry.
“It is not only about job creation but also about opening up an international corridor of our country and making Nigeria accessible to the entire world,” said the governor.
