Keyamo Sounds Alarm: Foreign Airlines May Desert Nigeria Without ₦712bn Airport Overhaul!

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has strongly defended the Federal Government’s controversial decision to commit ₦712.3 billion to the overhaul of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, emphasizing the urgent need for world-class infrastructure to retain foreign airline routes.

According to IReporter Online, the massive renovation plan — which includes the complete demolition and reconstruction of Terminal One and the expansion of Terminal Two — has drawn criticism from several political stakeholders, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, labeled the expenditure as reckless and questioned whether the cost had received proper legislative approval.

Keyamo, while speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, maintained that Nigerians would soon witness a transformational change in airport infrastructure, one they could be proud of.

He warned that without the proposed upgrades, foreign airlines might begin pulling out of Nigeria, citing safety and insurance concerns linked to outdated facilities.

“The roof is leaking. The terminals are smelly and worn out. Carousels are broken down with no parts available in the market,” he explained, justifying the urgent need to revamp what he described as a decaying aviation environment.

According to IReporter Online, the terminal was originally commissioned in 1979 and has remained largely unchanged since then, failing to support Nigeria’s growing aviation demands.

Keyamo added that the ₦712bn funding was not from the national budget, but from a special Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, derived from savings following the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange rate reform.

The reconstruction will reportedly last 22 months.

He emphasized that Nigeria’s goal is to compete with major African aviation hubs in countries like Ethiopia and South Africa. “We are not refurbishing; we’re rebuilding.

Everything goes except the foundational pillars. We’re redesigning to global standards,” Keyamo said.

He further highlighted that Lagos is not currently a functional transit hub, as envisioned in the 1970s, and that without a seamless terminal-to-terminal passenger transfer system, Nigeria’s aviation sector cannot thrive.

According to IReporter Online, the minister reiterated that failure to execute the upgrade could escalate airline insurance costs and diminish Nigeria’s standing in international aviation, ultimately causing global carriers to seek alternative routes.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”