The new terminal at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Nigeria, built at a cost of $100 million, continues to face challenges despite being officially opened 15 months ago.
With only six African carriers currently operating from the terminal, concerns have been raised about its underutilization. Legacy carriers have cited design flaws, particularly the lack of adequate aircraft parking and maneuvering space for wide-body planes.
This issue has hindered the terminal from fulfilling its intended purpose as a modern gateway to Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital. However, efforts are underway to rectify these problems by issuing eviction notices to nearby hangars and structures.
Design Flaws and Operational Challenges
The new MMIA terminal, covering a vast land area of approximately 56,000 square metres, boasts a capacity for over 30 airlines. Equipped with 66 check-in counters, it was designed to process up to 14 million passengers annually. While some European carriers have praised the facility, they emphasise that it remains incomplete without sufficient parking space.
The authorities have assured airlines that they are addressing the issue, but progress has been slow.
Flawed Location and Compensation Issues
The positioning of the new terminals in Abuja and Lagos has been a point of contention since the previous administration. Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation, criticised the locations as being ill-suited. In an attempt to rectify this, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) issued eviction notices to nearby hangars and structures to make way for aircraft parking.
However, compensating the affected parties is estimated to cost the government up to N10 billion. So far, only the regional headquarters of the Accident Investigation Bureau of Nigeria (AIB-N) have been demolished.
Expert Opinions and Solutions
Aviation experts have expressed concerns over the decision-making process that led to the terminal’s design flaws. Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), Secretary General of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), highlights the need for professional advice and approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in such projects.
To address the current challenges, Ojikutu suggests that FAAN prioritise compensating the affected parties to clear the area promptly, enhance security, and create more parking space. He believes that FAAN has sufficient projected revenue to cover the estimated compensation costs within a year.
The underutilization of the new MMIA terminal, despite its impressive facilities, underscores the importance of careful planning and thorough assessments in infrastructure projects. The lack of adequate aircraft parking and manoeuvring space has hampered its functionality and led to concerns about security risks.
Efforts to resolve these issues by demolishing nearby structures are ongoing, but compensation costs pose a significant challenge. To ensure the terminal’s success and optimal utilization, stakeholders must collaborate, adhere to professional advice, and prioritize addressing the design flaws and parking constraints.
