Nigeria’s aviation sector, mostly the Murtala Muhammed International Terminal Lagos has endured two decades of aviation infrastructure failure driven by poor coordination between the Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Interior. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the long conflict delayed critical upgrades at the Lagos international terminal and damaged Nigeria’s global aviation reputation. He spoke during the National Orientation Agency podcast on the Federal Government’s roadmap for sustainable air transport.
Keyamo also said the current administration inherited a weakened system and a sector that had lost international confidence. He explained that many global stakeholders doubted Nigeria’s capacity to protect aircraft and maintain modern safety standards. He linked these concerns to years of aviation infrastructure failure, which slowed the industry’s growth and pushed essential investments into an endless cycle of delays.
International Terminal Synergy Gaps
On the root of the international terminal infrastructure failure, Keyamo fingered the disagreement between Aviation and Interior which had lasted for two decades. He said the conflict centred on who controlled passenger movements at the international terminal. He explained that the power struggle paralysed progress and created a gap that prevented major improvements from taking place.
“There had been constant conflict over 20 years between Aviation and Interior. Once it had to do with passengers entering or leaving the airport, Aviation would claim it and Interior would say it was their duty,” he said. “Because of that back-and-forth, many things were not done at the airport.”
Keyamo said progress began only when he and Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo agreed to end the institutional rivalry. He said the collaboration finally broke the cycle of aviation infrastructure failure and opened the door for modernisation. He noted that the partnership enabled the deployment of biometric systems, e-gates and digital processing tools that passengers now see at the Lagos international terminal.
“We sat down and said it is for the good of Nigerians. That is why in cases where we were doing our own, Interior cooperated fully, and where they were doing theirs, we also cooperated,” he said.
Lagos remained the focus of his remarks. Keyamo described the airport as Nigeria’s primary gateway and the heart of the national aviation economy. He stated that Lagos handles 63 per cent of all arriving passengers and generates more than 60 per cent of sector revenue. He said the traffic volume made it impossible to ignore the ongoing aviation infrastructure failure at the terminal.
“Lagos is our major gateway into the country,” he said. “It accounts for about 63 percent of passengers and more than 60 percent of the revenues we generate.”
Keyamo said the international terminal in Lagos reached its limit years ago. He explained that it was built in 1977 and modelled after Schiphol Airport. He said the design depended on phased expansion that never happened. He noted that passenger traffic multiplied over the decades while the international terminal infrastructure remained stagnant. He said this gap contributed to the aviation infrastructure failure that passengers now experience as congestion, heat and frequent breakdowns.
He said construction teams are already on site preparing temporary structures to avoid shutting the terminal completely. He explained that the government wants to rebuild the terminal without causing chaos for travellers or airlines.
“You cannot just shut down a whole terminal. It will be chaos,” he said. “We are in the process of making temporary arrangements where we will accommodate passengers and airlines while we rebuild.”
He also said Terminal B, built by CCECC, would undergo adjustments due to design errors discovered during operation. He added that Maiduguri now has international airport status and will begin international flights soon. He further stated that he will visit Uyo next week to start the process of upgrading the airport to an international terminal because most required facilities are already available. Uyo Airport Upgrade Video
Keyamo painted a difficult picture of other airports nationwide, even international terminals. He said many of them run at a loss and depend heavily on revenue from Lagos, Abuja and Kano. He said some airports receive only one flight a day, yet FAAN must still spend billions on diesel and maintenance. He said the aviation infrastructure failure also extends to non-aeronautical revenue, which remains low because most airports lack commercial development.
He cited Akure Airport as an example of wasted potential. He said airports around the world rely on hotels, conference centres and service complexes to remain financially stable. He stressed that Nigeria must follow this model to stop the fiscal drain.
Keyamo said President Bola Tinubu directed that all non-profitable airports be concessioned. He said Enugu has received approval and Port Harcourt is undergoing final documentation. He added that other airports will follow as the government searches for credible investors to develop aerotropolis projects that will strengthen non-aeronautical earnings.
He said the aviation roadmap is already producing measurable results. When the administration took office, Nigeria’s Cape Town Convention compliance rating stood at 49.9 per cent. He said lessors avoided Nigeria because they doubted the safety of their aircraft. He noted that deliberate policy actions have now raised the compliance level to 75.5 per cent. He said this improvement is restoring confidence among aircraft leasing companies and supporting fleet renewal for domestic airlines.
Keyamo said the renewed collaboration between ministries, the reconstruction of the Lagos international terminal and the concessioning of non-performing airports will shape the next era of aviation development. He said the reforms will replace the long-standing aviation infrastructure failure with a system built on transparency, efficiency and financial sustainability.
