New Lagos international airport terminal will create 3,000 jobs for youths – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, commissioned the newly built international terminal at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), creating a new travel experience for air passengers passing through the Lagos international airspace.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu joined the president to unveiled the new MMIA Terminal 2, designed and built under the rehabilitation programme of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
Buhari said his administration fully understood the importance of airport infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and socio-economic development, which informed the Federal Government’s decision to prioritise the completion and delivery of five brand new international terminals, which were at 11 per cent progress level when he assumed office in 2015.
“I am confident that the new terminal, with 66 check-in counters, 16 Immigration desks at arrival, 28 Immigration desks at departure, and eight security screening points, among others, will go a long way in contributing to the socio-political and economic prosperity of our great nation.
“This improvement will increase airport operations and management services to about 14 million passengers per annum, with the attendant positive multiplier effects, by creating about 3,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities for our youths, increased inflow of Foreign Direct Investments and exponential growth in the Gross Domestic Product,” President Buhari said.
Sanwo-Olu, who described the delivery of the new air terminal as “long-overdue upgrade” to the nation’s flagship international airport, said President Buhari, by the achievement, had re-written the infrastructure narrative of Lagos, Southwest region, as well as the nation.
He said the construction of Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Line, upgrade of Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki Expressway, full rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and development of a world-class Creative Industries Park in Iganmu were a few of the landmark infrastructure brought to Lagos by the Buhari administration.
“We are very grateful to the Federal Government, under President Buhari’s leadership, for seeing to the completion and commissioning of this brand new international terminal building, almost 43 years to the day the old terminal was built. Finally, our dear Lagos has an international airport terminal that is befitting, and that has the capacity to cope with the fast-growing flow of passenger traffic.
“The new terminal is a worthy complement to the various transportation and road infrastructure projects of the Lagos State government, such as the Airport Road and flyover which were delivered three years ago, and the Red and Blue Lines of our Light Rail network, which we are working very hard to deliver on as soon as possible,” Sanwo-Olu said
Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika said the development of the new terminal was to achieve an efficient and rapid transportation network, which would make Nigeria to remain a key player in global logistical ecosystem.
Aside facilitating international trade, commerce and tourism, the aviation minister said improved air services that would be achieved would lead to creation of jobs and boost economy.
Sirika also said there would be a partnership with the Lagos State government in the coming months on development of rail project to connect the nearby local airport to the new international terminal.
The new terminal is designed as a world-class aviation route, with the capacity to handle 18 million air passengers yearly. Offering best convenience for travellers, the facility was developed on architectural acreage of 50,887 square metre.
It has 10 Extra-Low Voltage systems, three-dimensional multi-layer baggage sorting system, five arrival and six departure gates, seven boarding bridges, and over 2,000 seat spaces for passengers.
The aviation ministry has 22 federal airports marked for upgrade and remodelling across the country.
