Nigeria’s aerodrome infrastructure investment faces a critical test as Lagos, Abuja and Kano account for 80% of national airport traffic. The concentration raises questions about how the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) can maintain viable operations at its busiest gateways while supporting other airports. Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mrs Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, has outlined the competing demands shaping the authority’s investment priorities.
Speaking at the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon, Portugal, she highlighted the need to balance safety, operational efficiency and passenger experience. Her remarks also outlined ongoing rehabilitation works and the modernisation of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), alongside plans for improved rail connectivity.
Aerodrome Infrastructure Upgrades Target Efficiency and Balance
Lagos airport accounts for 68% of Nigeria’s airport traffic, according to FAAN Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mrs Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku. Abuja follows, handling approximately three million passengers, while Kano completes the trio responsible for 80% of traffic. However, FAAN must also address infrastructure needs across its wider network.
“Three airports account for 80% of the traffic, but I still have 19 other airports and five other airports that I’m supporting that I also need to prioritise,” she said.
The competing demands require FAAN to balance investment in high-traffic gateways with essential infrastructure across other airports. Mrs Onabanjo-Kuku explained the broader considerations guiding these decisions.
“In Nigeria, we see air transport not just as a mode of transportation, but also as economic viability and support. Air transport has also become one of our safest means of travel. What that means is we need to be able to balance very carefully the sorts of investments and the priorities that we make in those investments.”
Against this backdrop, FAAN is undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s Terminal 1, which Mrs Onabanjo-Kuku said had not received a major infrastructure upgrade since its construction.
“The MMIA has had no major infrastructure upgrade since it was built. We have just embarked on that upgrade, and I’ll speak about what we’re doing. But that particular airport accounts for 68% of all of my traffic in Nigeria. It’s followed by Abuja Airport, which, I think, handles about 3 million passengers, and then Kano. Three airports account for 80% of the traffic, but I still have 19 other airports and five other airports that I’m supporting that I also need to prioritise.”
The project will prioritise operational efficiency rather than expanding the existing terminal.
“For Lagos specifically, being the flagship airport, Terminal 1 is actually being completely gutted. We’re not expanding Terminal 1, but we’re making it a lot more efficient.”
She added: “What that means is that we’re changing the layout with immigration and customs, the number of counters that you have, making it a lot more passenger-friendly, ensuring that we have modernised technology and infrastructure that makes travel easier for passengers.”
The overhaul will focus on how passengers move through the terminal, particularly at immigration and customs. By reconfiguring service areas, adjusting counter arrangements and introducing modern technology, FAAN aims to improve passenger processing without expanding the building. The approach prioritises making existing aerodrome infrastructure more efficient as Nigeria’s busiest airport undergoes modernisation.
Safety Drives Airport Rehabilitation
The FAAN chief said safety remains a central consideration in allocating resources, with particular attention to airside facilities and essential operational infrastructure.
“For me it’s been threefold, the first is a very clear criteria that focuses on safety, so you will see that a lot of our investments largely focus on some of the airside activities because that’s what we need to have our basic operations running and functional. In the last three years, we focused on rehabilitating our major airports and the primary international airports.”
She said aerodrome infrastructure rehabilitation works include runway improvements and upgraded airfield lighting at Nigeria’s international airports. The country has six international airports: Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu and Maiduguri.
“We’re rehabilitating the runway, including complete resurfacing of the runway extensions where possible at two of the airports, and installing improved airfield lighting systems,” she said.
These works form part of the wider effort to strengthen operational reliability. They also illustrate why aerodrome infrastructure spending must extend beyond passenger terminals to the facilities supporting safe aircraft operations.
Lagos Airport Rail Financing Nears Completion
Beyond terminal improvements, FAAN is advancing discussions on financing the proposed extension of the Lagos Mass Transit Red Line into MMIA. The project involves collaboration between the Federal Government and Lagos State Government.
“We are actually working on completing the financing of the capital structure for that project,” Mrs Onabanjo-Kuku said.
She explained the planned connection would link the airport’s three terminals and cargo facilities to the rail network.
“What it does is it allows us to connect the city very quickly to the airport with five stops within our airport. It connects our terminals and links our cargo terminals to the last stop. So, it’s a collaboration with the state government and the federal government as well, so for us.”
The financing discussions remain an important step towards advancing the project. Meanwhile, FAAN’s broader challenge is ensuring that aerodrome infrastructure investments strengthen safety, improve passenger handling and sustain viable airport operations across Nigeria’s network.
