The Federal Government has released fresh details on the N712.26 billion upgrade of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, which will involve a complete rebuild of Terminal One, expansion of the apron to accommodate wide-body aircraft, and construction of a new bridge for direct passenger access.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Sunday in a statement via his official X account.
The announcement follows the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of N987 billion last week for nationwide airport infrastructure projects, with Lagos receiving the largest allocation.
According to Keyamo, the 1979-built Terminal One, which houses Wings D and E, will be stripped to its structural frame and reconfigured into a modern terminal that meets global standards. Years of neglect and surging passenger numbers have left the building obsolete, forcing temporary repairs over time.
He explained that the plan also covers the expansion of the newer Terminal Two, enlargement of the aircraft apron to park more wide-body jets, and construction of two dedicated ring roads for arrivals and departures. A new bridge will also link passengers directly to the upper floor of the departure lounge, easing traffic and improving access.
“To further enunciate our plans for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMI) in Lagos, let me further clarify the approval we secured from the Federal Executive Council Meeting last week. 1.
“There are two international terminals in Lagos. Terminal One is that old building directly facing the long stretch of road leading to the airport built & commissioned in 1979 by the Obasanjo-led Military regime. It has two wings known as WING D and WING E,” Keyamo’s post read in part.
It further read, “Due to years of neglect & because the traffic over time quadrupled beyond its capacity, the building & facilities at Terminal One became totally decrepit. We have been engaged in some patch jobs over the years just to make it a bit presentable. Now, shorn of all the rhetoric, what we simply want to do is to totally strip down that building, including the entire roof (leaving only the carcass), then re-design/reconfigure it & build a brand-new airport for the nation to meet modern, international standards that can also cater for the increased traffic. Both wings D and E would be affected.”
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Keyamo noted that the upgrades will integrate smart technology to transform MMIA into a modern smart airport.
- The Minister of Aviation further stressed that the project will be fully financed through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, which is funded from savings following the removal of fuel subsidies, with no external loans involved.
- According to him, members of the media, civil society, the National Assembly and other interested Nigerians will be invited on regular site tours during the 22‑month construction period to ensure transparency and accountability.
He also pointed out that while new airport terminals in Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt are currently underutilized due to low passenger traffic, the heavy usage of MMIA makes this revamp a priority.
