Nigerian authorities are facing scrutiny over a federal plan to invest N712 billion (approximately $485 million) in demolishing and rebuilding the aging Terminal One of Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, a move critics argue is excessively costly amid widespread economic challenges. The Federal Executive Council recently greenlit the project, which Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has staunchly defended, citing the terminal’s deteriorated state and risks to Nigeria’s aviation standing.
Speaking during a televised interview, Keyamo described the four-decade-old facility as “decrepit and smelly,” with leaking roofs, non-functional carousels, and outdated infrastructure. “You see people selling noodles and makeshift kiosks there,” he noted, adding that the terminal’s original design, intended to establish Lagos as a continental hub, had failed due to disjointed connectivity between domestic and international flights. The new project, he asserted, would involve razing nearly the entire structure—retaining only foundational pillars—and replacing it with a modern hub to compete with airports in Ethiopia and South Africa within 22 months.
Funding for the overhaul, Keyamo explained, will not come from Nigeria’s regular budget but through the “Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund” (RHIF), a special initiative financed by savings from the government’s fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms. He warned that without urgent upgrades, international airlines might abandon Nigerian routes due to safety concerns, leading to higher insurance premiums and reduced global connectivity. “If runways and terminals are substandard, insurers deem the country unsafe, impacting flight operations,” he said.
The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from citizens and opposition figures, who question the project’s scale and costs amid rising inflation, unemployment, and public service deficits. Critics argue the funds could be better allocated to pressing social needs, such as healthcare or education. However, Keyamo emphasized the project’s long-term economic value, stating that transforming Lagos into a regional aviation hub would boost trade, tourism, and Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
Originally opened in 1979, Terminal One has struggled with chronic underinvestment and inefficiencies, forcing passengers to navigate disconnected terminals for connecting flights. The planned rebuild aims to address these structural flaws while modernizing facilities to meet international standards. The minister’s remarks reflect the government’s broader infrastructure agenda, leveraging savings from recent economic reforms to revitalize critical transport networks. As debates over priorities intensify, the project underscores Nigeria’s balancing act between immediate public needs and aspirations for continental leadership in aviation.
