Governor Sanwo-Olu urges investors to back Lekki–Epe International Airport

By Adeola Ogunrinde –

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appealed to investors to champion the approved Lekki–Epe International Airport project. The airport is a flagship initiative of the Lagos State Government.

Sanwo-Olu made the appeal on Monday while addressing attendees at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) National Aviation Conference held at Victoria Island, Lagos. He pledged that Lagos State will coordinate closely with all federal agencies to transform the Lekki–Epe International Airport and Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) into benchmarks of successful federal and sub-national collaboration.

“The federal government has authorised Lagos State to construct a new international airport in the Ibeju–Lekki axis as a public-private partnership project. The airport is engineered as a Code F-compliant facility, capable of accommodating the Airbus A380 and other wide-body aircraft. It will occupy approximately 3,500 hectares, roughly 10 kilometres from the Lekki Free Trade Zone,” he said.

The governor explained that the master plan projects an initial capacity of five million passengers annually, with modular expansion as demand grows. “Lekki–Epe International Airport is not a vanity project. It is a strategic initiative to decongest MMIA, position Lagos as West Africa’s preferred aviation hub, unlock opportunities in MRO, training, and aviation services, and support the Lekki industrial corridor, which hosts the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Free Trade Zone, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, and an emerging industrial and residential city,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to developing an integrated mobility ecosystem linking rail, road, water, and air transport across Lagos State. He said the state has achieved historic progress with the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line, running from Marina to Mile 2, and the Red Line, linking Agbado to Oyingbo, while signing an MoU and launching plans for the Green Line, a 68-kilometre corridor from Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

He concluded by stressing the importance of collaboration between federal agencies and private investors to realise the full potential of the Lekki–Epe International Airport and establish Lagos as a global aviation hub.

During the conference, governors Hope Uzodinma, Zulum, and Dapo Abiodun highlighted the aviation sector as a catalyst for economic growth. They highlighted new airports, integrated transport systems, and investment opportunities across Imo, Borno, and Ogun states.

The event was graced by President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Governors Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), represented by his deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele; and FAAN Board Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, among others.