Private jet hangers at Lagos airport to be demolished to make way for terminal expansion

NIGERIA'S federal government is to demolish two multibillion-naira private jet terminals and aircraft hangars at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in  Lagos as part of a refurbishment plan aimed at upgrading the facility.

Recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo is hoping to carry out widespread refurbishment of the airport. During a recent tour of the facility, Mr Keyamo said that all international airlines need to leave Terminal One by October 1 to give room for total maintenance work at the airport.

He added that the private jet terminals were obstructing the expansion of the apron size of the new Chinese-build terminal, which was opened in March 2022. According to the minister, the apron size of the new international terminal is not adequate to accommodate jumbo planes operating along international routes.

Apparently, over 22 private jets belonging to some prominent Nigerians and organisations are expected to be relocated from the two multibillion-naira private jet terminals/hangars ahead of the demolition of the facilities. These two private jet terminals belong to Dominion Air, an arm of Living Faith World Outreach, known as Winners Chapel and Evergreen Hangar, owned and operated by a private company.

Mr Keyamo said: “We have to find a way to use the new terminal. Like in many other countries, we have to get emergency procurement to buy big buses and move passengers to where the big planes can stop for both arrivals and departures, so that Nigerians can have some form of comfort.

“The long-term plan is that, we are going to find a way to build avio-bridges for the big aircraft coming in and that means some of those private hangars will have to go for public purpose, we have to relocate them so that we can have a beautiful, functional gateway to Nigeria. For now, I am giving them till October 1 to shut down the old terminal so that we can use the new terminal.”

About four months ago, the former aviation minister Hadi Sirika, said the two private jet terminals/hangars were obstructing the efficient use of the international wing of the airport. Last year, the Federal Government demolished the headquarters of the Accident Investigation Bureau located behind the new international terminal, as part of this redevelopment plan.