N81bn Needed To Complete Abuja Airport Second Runway – Keyamo

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr. Festus Keyamo said he has projected that an additional N81 billion will be needed to complete the second runway for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The minister stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the ministry’s 2024 budget proposal to the joint committees of Aviation of the National Assembly.

The minister also proposed N63 billion 2024 budget for the entire ministry and its agencies.

The minister said that critical projects such as Abuja 2nd runway, and the upgrade and rehabilitation of the old terminal of Lagos airport were vital projects that need urgent attention.

He expressed the danger associated with having only one runway for a capital city like Abuja.

Speaking further, Keyamo appealed to the 10th Assembly joint committee for the procurement of consultancy for the design of a Master plan for major airports in Nigeria, stating the need to give more attention to the area of safety with the procurement of equipment.

The minister further informed the committee that Mr. President has graciously approved the purchase of screening machines for the five international airports in Nigeria.

On the issue of airport concession, the Minister said, he has taken into consideration the concerns of the 9th Assembly as regards the non-transparent manner it was conducted but affirmed that concession is the way to go for the 5 international airports in Nigeria.

He informed the committee that he had written a memo to Mr. President for a quality concession process for the Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Enugu airports.

It would be noted that procurement of a second runway for the airport has lingered for over two decades and spans back to ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo era.

Former president Muhammedu Buhari’s government concluded work on the design and initially budgeted N72 billion for the building of the runway which would be the longest in the world when completed.

The absence of a second runway for the Abuja airport, the capital city of Nigeria, is now viewed as a safety issue.

It has also been an issue and once there is an incidence on the existing runway, however small, the airport shuts down until the aircraft is moved to safety.

In 2016, the airport was shut down for six weeks for runway repairs and planes diverted to Kaduna State.