Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, announced on Tuesday that an additional N81 billion would be required to complete the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja. This is in addition to the N63 billion 2024 ministry budget presented to the joint committee of the National Assembly.
The minister emphasized the risk of having only one runway for a capital city like Abuja and stated that the bulk of the budget is expected to go into critical projects such as the Abuja second runway and the upgrade and rehabilitation of the old terminal of Lagos airport. These, according to Keyamo, are vital projects that need urgent attention.
In his appeal to the 10th Assembly joint committee, Keyamo stressed the need for the procurement of consultancy for designing a master plan for major airports in Nigeria, with a particular focus on safety when procuring equipment. He further informed the committee that Tinubu had approved the purchase of screening machines for the five international airports in Nigeria.
Regarding the airport concession, Keyamo acknowledged the concerns of the 9th Assembly about the non-transparent manner in which it was conducted. However, he affirmed that concessions are the way forward for the five international airports in Nigeria.
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In line with his five focus areas for the industry, Keyamo pledged to ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and the continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s rating by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He also expressed his commitment to supporting the growth and sustenance of local airline businesses while holding them to the highest international standards in the aviation industry.