The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday in Lagos, directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, to source special funding for the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The President’s request came at a time when the country is hard-pressed with foreign debt to the tune of N39.56tn.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new Terminal Building, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the President also directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to conclude the documentation of the approved 12,000 hectares of land to accommodate the runway and other developmental projects.

He also tasked the Minister of Aviation to fast-track the airport concession programme, boost aviation practice in the country and make the aviation industry reflect global standards.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed these in a statement he signed Tuesday titled, ‘Aviation: President Buhari directs finance minister to look for special funding for Abuja airport second runway, inaugurates new terminal building at MMIA.’

Buhari noted that the completion and delivery of five brand new international airport terminals since 2015, which were at 11 per cent completion level then, aligns perfectly with the Aviation Roadmap developed in 2016 to establish critical infrastructure, including a National Carrier as well as maintenance, repairs and overhaul centre, and improved Airports Terminals through concession.

The President described the regime’s investments in inter-state rail connectivity, road networks, agriculture, power and telecommunications as unprecedented despite limited resources.

These include the designation of four airports, namely Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt as Free Trade Zones, in which customs duty is not applicable; removal of VAT on all forms of shared transportation, including air transportation; and exemption of commercial aircraft and spare parts from VAT payment.

‘‘Similar projects at both the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Port Harcourt International Airport were completed and commissioned by this administration and our people have since been benefiting from the positive economic impacts of those magnificent terminals.

“The one in Kano has also been completed, and will be commissioned soon, while work continues apace to complete that of Enugu shortly,’’ he said.

Buhari expressed confidence that the new terminal in Lagos with sixty-six check-in-counters, sixteen Immigration desks at arrival, twenty-eight 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 the country.

He added that the improvement would increase airport operations and management services to about 14 million passengers per annum, create 3,000 direct and indirect jobs, increase the inflow of Foreign Direct Investments and exponential growth in the Gross Domestic Product.

He thanked the Government and People of the Republic of China, through the China Export-Import Bank and CCECC Nigeria Limited for their commitment and support towards the completion of the project.

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The President also commended the Federal Ministry of Aviation and its agencies, particularly, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, for working assiduously towards the realisation of the project.

He said, “‘With the delivery of this project, a new era of safety, security, and comfort has been ushered into the Nigerian aviation industry, and I am persuaded that it will get better with the passage of time.”

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said it was instructive that Lagos State in one day had witnessed the evolution of three major infrastructure development projects that will change the Nigerian landscape while commending the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, for the infrastructural renewal and redevelopment necessary for a city like Lagos.

In his remarks, Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said aviation is the worldwide rapid transportation network that facilitates international trade, commerce and tourism, the only medium for achieving continental integration and interaction towards achieving the AU Agenda 2063.

According to Sirika, a study by the International Air Transport Association on Nigeria in 2020 “showed that the sector created 241,000 jobs, direct and indirect, and contributed $1.7bn to the economy,” with a hope to grow the contribution of the sector from the current 0.68 per cent to 5 per cent or approximately $14.16bn.

He affirmed that the new terminal will be linked to the railway system.