THE Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, has said it would require N580 billion to rehabilitate airport runways across the country.
Kuku said on Wednesday, January 15, while receiving the newly appointed permanent secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ibrahim Kana.
She lamented the state of the runways as well as infrastructure decay in the Nigerian airports, maintaining that it has been affecting the operational efficiency and safety of travellers.
She noted most of the runways were built in the late 1970’s and have outlived their lifespan.
Kuku further lamented that other infrastructures, such as terminals, needed major rehabilitation.
She said, “N580bn is required to fix runways across all airports; their life span is between 20 to 25 years, but most of the airports were built in 1978. Many of FAAN’s facilities, including terminals and runways, are ageing and in need of significant repairs and upgrades.
“This affects operational efficiency and safety and necessitates substantial investment for modernisation.”
According to her, despite efforts to enhance security at airports, FAAN continues to face challenges in managing security risks, particularly with the increase in air travel and the potential for terrorist activities.
Other threats at key airport locations include on-land encroachment, due to the lack of a perimeter fence.
She hinted that the authority’s landmass is constantly being encroached on all over the country.
“Obsolete equipment such as old fire tenders, generators, air conditioning systems conveyor lines with worn-out slats, belts, and motors, can be found in many airports that have low efficiency and have high maintenance cost,” Kuku stressed.
Kuku further hinted that FAAN has plans to modernise the airports’ infrastructure, renovate terminals, expand runways, and upgrade navigational aids this year.
Also to be prioritised in 2025 is the building of the FAAN head office.
“Priority will be given to improving critical facilities at major international airports and enhancing regional airport capacity to meet growing passenger and cargo demands.
“We need to be deliberate about it. So many haphazard jobs and abandoned projects at the airports. The runways require major rehabilitation,” she added.
However, in the proposed 2025 budget being debated at the National Assembly, President Bola Tinubu had only appropriated N93.03 billion as capital expenditure for the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The ICIR can report that there have been frequent incidents of aircraft skidding off the runways in the last year.
On Tuesday, April 23, Dana aircraft 5N BKI aircraft, carrying 83 passengers from Abuja, suffered a runway excursion at the Lagos Airport that led to the grounding of the plane.
Among others, on Saturday, May 11, a 5N-BZZ Airbus, carrying 52 passengers and three crew members belonging to XEJet Airlines, skidded off runway 18L at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.
