Fire At MMIA Terminal 1 Sets Back Tinubu’s Aviation Reforms – Ganduje

The Board Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Umar Ganduje, has said the recent fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, has dealt a setback to the aviation reform agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Ganduje made the disclosure while leading members of the FAAN board on an inspection tour of the fire-ravaged facilities at the airport.

He described the incident as deeply concerning, particularly as safety remains the core value of the authority.

“There is no doubt that when we had the fire outbreak at the International Airport here in Lagos, it was an issue of great concern, especially to the board members, because we believe the core value of FAAN is safety,” he said.

He continued, “The incident affected the safety of employees, passengers, equipment and other critical infrastructural facilities within the airport.”

The former Kano State governor noted that the board deemed it necessary to visit the site to assess the extent of the damage firsthand.

“We decided to be here to see for ourselves because seeing is believing. We have seen the damage that occurred,” he stated.

While acknowledging the destruction of sensitive equipment, Ganduje confirmed that no fatalities were recorded in the incident.

He commended the FAAN Managing Director and her management team, particularly the firefighters, for their swift response.

“Over 150 firefighters were on ground until the fire was completely quenched. From what we have seen, they did a lot of work.

Although sensitive equipment has been destroyed, we are grateful that no loss of life was reported. The situation is now under control, but it is indeed unfortunate,” he added.

According to him, the full investigative report on the cause of the fire is still being compiled by the FAAN management.

Ganduje, however, admitted that the incident has implications for the ongoing aviation sector reforms championed by President Tinubu.

“This is really affecting the aviation reform, but equally, the staff are equal to the task,” he said, expressing confidence in the authority’s capacity to restore normalcy and sustain the reform momentum.

Beyond assessing the damage, the board also inspected ongoing remodelling works at the international terminal, as well as the temporary terminal arrangement for passengers and airlines.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of the renovation works, describing them as world-class.

“I thought I was in one of the well-developed foreign international airports, but I am happy to see that I am in Nigeria and in Lagos. The quality of work is beautiful, and all the equipment is being fixed. It is going to be a big success in line with the aviation reform programme,” Ganduje said.

He also appreciated the media for promptly informing Nigerians about both the outbreak and the successful containment of the fire, noting that timely information helped to manage public concern.

The incident adds to the growing conversation around infrastructure resilience and safety standards within Nigeria’s aviation sector, even as authorities move to strengthen reforms aimed at modernising airport facilities nationwide.