FG provides private sector support for MMIA Wing D renovation

Minister of Aviation and Space Development, Festus Keyamo.

The Federal Government has announced that it has secured commitments from several private sector corporate bodies to expeditiously commence the renovation of the arrival and departure areas of Wing D at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos State.

The Minister of Aviation and Space Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during an interview with Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, as shown on the official YouTube page of the State House of Nigeria.

What does the minister say?

Keyamo noted that while significant infrastructure projects cannot be expected in just one year due to significant financial requirements, one of the ministry’s short-term goals is to partner with private companies to ensure the necessary upgrades to airport facilities across the country.

The Minister of Aviation also emphasized that this renovation initiative will be carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and will aim to achieve a similar modernization of the E Wing arrivals area as carried out by Shell.

“We have changed the MMIA Wing E arrivals area.

“Shell came in and did a lot there to take advantage of him. This is a beautiful entry into Nigeria.

“We are talking to one of the two corporate bodies.

“They’re just starting operations on D Wing, departure and arrival.” Keyama stated.

He further mentioned that private companies would also renovate the E wing departures area, next to the D wing arrival and departure areas, at MMIA, Lagos.

Keyamo noted that while the modernization of airport wings will take place in the short term, the long-term plan is to completely rebuild most airports across the country to bring them up to international standards.

More insight

In addition to the planned renovations of airport facilities supported by the private sector, Keyamo also stressed the need to improve the attitude of airport officials to improve the quality of passenger experience.

The Aviation Minister has said that the conduct of officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who manage airports across the country, is currently not fit to perform at their best.

He mentioned an ongoing initiative to change the mentality of these officials to a more customer-friendly one and ensure that they provide better services to passengers.

Keyamo noted that with a shift in the mindset of civil servants, coupled with collaboration between the federal government and the private sector, these efforts will significantly improve the overall flying customer experience.

What you should know

• The E Wing Arrivals area at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, is the first of several planned renovations to the airport facilities, and its completion marks a significant milestone. Shell was responsible for the renovation of this area.
• The aim of the project was to streamline the arrival process and provide a smoother experience for passengers, especially the elderly and people with mobility problems.
• The newly upgraded Wing E arrivals unit was inaugurated in December 2023 by the Minister of Home Affairs, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and has been open to the public for months.