The T1-T2 Bridge at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, has reached a major construction milestone. Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said the final concrete pouring has been completed on the overhead bridge linking Terminals 1 and 2.
Kuku spoke during an inspection of the ongoing MMIA rehabilitation project with consultants, ARUP, and the engineering team. She said the bridge would help improve passenger and vehicle movement while easing congestion at the airport during peak travel periods.
“This was the last concrete pouring for the overhead bridge that would allow us to link T1 and T2,” Kuku said. “I know Nigerians have expressed their displeasure in terms of the traffic. We continue to ask them to bear with us.”
T1-T2 Bridge Targets December Peak Period
The FAAN Managing Director said the latest milestone puts the bridge closer to becoming operational. She said consultants and engineers working on the project had provided an indication of when passengers could begin benefiting from the facility.
“I’ve just engaged some of the consultants and the engineering team on the project and I’ve been informed that in the next couple of months, this will be ready for use,” Kuku said.
She also pointed to the progress already achieved on the structure. “As you can see substantially, the canopy work and the form is being completed. The rails are on. This is the last concrete work,” she said.
Kuku expressed confidence that the bridge would be available during the busy end-of-year travel period. “I’m sure that by the December peak period, we should be able to have this open for use,” she said.
The T1-T2 Bridge is part of the wider rehabilitation of MMIA. According to Kuku, the project includes rehabilitation of Terminal 1, expansion of the Terminal 2 fingers, apron expansion and development of a transit hub.
Meanwhile, work is also progressing around Terminal 1. Kuku highlighted the structure featuring the airport’s iconic eagle design, where the new canopy will be installed.
“The form has also been put in place. We’re now putting in the facade and the canopy for that,” she said. The facade of the existing building is also undergoing rehabilitation as work continues across the airport.
MMIA Upgrade Targets Better Passenger Experience
Kuku said FAAN has also been examining the technology and equipment that will support the refurbished airport. This includes baggage handling equipment, check-in technology and the retail layout.
“Over the last couple of weeks, we spent a lot of time looking at the technology infrastructure and some of the modernised equipment,” she said.
The objective, she added, is to ensure the rehabilitation delivers a better passenger experience. This includes technology systems, terminal layouts and improved movement through the airport.
Accessibility for passengers with limited mobility is also being considered. Kuku said FAAN had introduced additional ambulifts while work continues and aerobridges remain affected by construction.
“The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria has just brought in two ambulifts into the airport,” she said. “I know that one of the ground handling companies has also brought one in.”
Kuku said the upgraded T1-T2 terminal would also incorporate wheelchair-accessible ramps and elevators. She added that the flight information display system would cater for passengers with special needs through audio and visibility enhancements.
The terminal layout is also being changed to provide clearer separation between arriving and departing passengers. According to Kuku, accessible ramps will support movement from the gates into the T1-T2 terminals.
“We want to make sure that this is an inclusive project for all of our passengers,” she said.
FAAN Appeals for Passenger Patience
The ongoing rehabilitation has generated frustration among airport users, particularly because construction has affected traffic and access arrangements. Kuku, however, said the disruption must be viewed against the scale of the upgrade.
“Passengers have been extremely patient with us,” she said. “I have seen people who have expressed frustrations. Those frustrations happen, especially in an airport that has been here for about 50 years with no major upgrades.”
She said the current works are ultimately intended to deliver a better facility for passengers and the country. “It’s actually for the betterment of the country, of the passengers, and, of course, being the airport as the first point of entry for us,” Kuku said.
FAAN is also asking passengers to follow directional signs and use the appropriate airport access points. Kuku urged travellers to arrive three or four hours before their flights during busy periods.
The agency also plans to deploy more personnel to support passengers as traffic increases. With the T1-T2 Bridge approaching operational readiness, FAAN expects the new connection to become an important part of managing movement during the December travel peak.
Kuku also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and investment in the aviation sector. She commended Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, for his support and pressure to ensure the project is delivered.
