Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the planned Lekki Airport Development will reshape Nigeria’s aviation competitiveness and strengthen Lagos’ position as West Africa’s most connected economic hub. He stated this while addressing industry stakeholders, noting that the future of Nigeria’s growth depends on improved connectivity, efficient logistics, and a modern aviation ecosystem accelerated by the Lekki Airport Development.
Sanwo-Olu said aviation has become the defining factor for economies that seek global relevance. According to him, “every serious conversation about Nigeria’s economic future, at some point, lands in some way on aviation. Aviation is not just aircraft movement. It is about competitiveness, connectivity, and convenience.”
He explained that Lagos continues to feel the pressure of being Nigeria’s premier air gateway, noting that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) handles millions of passengers annually and anchors the country’s route network,hence the Lekki Airport Development. “The same success that has made Lagos a regional hub has also exposed our constraints,” he said. “We face congestion on our airside and landside, pressure on terminal infrastructure, and the urgent need for redundancy and resilience.”
Why Lekki Airport Development Matters
The Governor said these realities informed the decision to pursue the Lekki Airport Development: a forward-looking project designed to serve next-generation aircraft, e-commerce logistics, and rising passenger demand.
“We have received all approvals from the Federal Government for the new airport, on a PPP basis,” Sanwo-Olu confirmed. “We are just waiting for the funding to drop. The master plan shows a Code F compliant facility capable of landing the Airbus A380.”
He added that the airport will sit on about 3,000 hectares, located less than five kilometres from the Lekki Free Trade Zone. According to him, the design allows modular growth to handle more than five million passengers annually in its first phase.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that the Lekki Airport Development is not a prestige project but a strategic necessity. “It is a strategic response to a full-pressing reality,” he said. “MMIA has served Nigeria with distinction for decades, but one airport cannot and should not carry the full weight of our national and regional aviation opportunity.”
He stated that the Lekki aviation corridor would support industries across Ibeju-Lekki, including the Dangote Refinery, Lekki Deep Seaport, Free Trade Zone, and multiple emerging logistics platforms. “We see the airport as the anchor of a broader productivity platform,” he said.
Lagos’ Multimodal Backbone Supporting the Airport
Sanwo-Olu explained that Lagos has spent the last five years building an integrated transport ecosystem that will complement the new airport. As he put it, “Lagos is a living laboratory for integrated transportation. We are building a structured multimodal backbone designed to move over 20 million residents and millions who come to do business.”
He highlighted major milestones, including the Blue Line rail from Mile 2 to Marina, which is now fully operational. “It has moved over eight million passengers and carries more than 200,000 people daily,” he said. “The line connects the east and west axis of Lagos.”
He also referenced the Red Line rail project linking Agbado to Oyingbo, describing it as a transformative infrastructure that will integrate road, rail, and eventually air travel. “The airport of the future is no longer defined only by its runway,” he explained. “It is defined by access: how fast passengers, workers, and cargo can connect between the airports, the city, the seaports, and the industrial clusters.”
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos is deliberately designing its transport framework to ensure the new airport will operate as a seamless component of the state’s wider logistics network.
Aviation as the Heart of Economic Strategy
The Governor reiterated that aviation remains central to Lagos’ development vision. He said the ability of investors, tourists, and diaspora Nigerians to reach the market quickly determines competitiveness. “It is about whether tourism can truly flourish, whether cargo can move efficiently, and whether people remain connected to opportunity,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for driving industry conversations around sustainability, reforms, and global best practices. However, he said discussions must now shift from analysis to execution. “We must move from conversations to coordinated delivery,” he said.
The Governor also referenced the progress made by neighbouring Ogun State on its Gateway Airport project. In a light-hearted tone, he said, “I know my sister in Ogun State has started their Gateway Airport. We are watching them. We want to annex them and put them right next to us.”
A Future Ready for Growth
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that the Lekki Airport Development represents Lagos’ readiness for aviation’s next era—one driven by larger aircraft, stricter environmental standards, and digital logistics.
He said the state’s vision aligns with the evolving demands of global trade and mobility. “We are designing and waiting for the opportunity that the airport brings, not just as a big idea, but as the anchor of a broader logistics and productivity platform,” he noted.
The Governor concluded by assuring stakeholders that Lagos remains committed to creating an aviation system that positions the state and Nigeria as a preferred regional hub for business, tourism, and cargo.
