Reiterates FG’s commitment to making Nigeria regional aviation hub
. Promises more critical infrastructure for the industry
President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to make Nigeria the aviation hub for West and Central African Subregion.
President Buhari made this known today at the commissioning of a 15 million passenger International terminal at Nnamid Azikiwe International Airport, (NNIA), Abuja.
The new terminal built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), was funded by Chinese Exim Bank with counterpart funding from the Federal Government.
The commissioning which is the second of its kind within two months, is coming after that of Port Harcourt RT International Airport (PHIA) which was commissioned in October.
While delivering a keynote address at the commissioning, President Buhari also assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was also committed to developing infrastructural in the aviation industry.
He commended CCECC for completing the project, adding that the completion further boost the infrastructure in the aviation industry.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika said that the Abuja terminal is not only strategic but that it is the second busiest airport in Nigeria.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for commissioning the project, noting that it was the second project the President would commission within two months.
Sirika disclosed that Abuja Airport recorded a total over 5 million passenger traffic in 2017, while the just commissioned new international terminal is designed to handle 15 million passengers a year.
The Minister added that the terminal building is on a 56,000 square metres with a a 60m long skywalk that connects to the Airport Metro Station, adding that departing passengers arriving the airport via Abuja Metro enter through Skywalk to the departure level on the second floor.
It feels very great because this is one of those projects that have the capacity of connecting nations, cultures, business and friends. This is what this project stands for.
According to him, “This airport has the capacity of 15 million passengers and this is about perhaps the 40 times of what Ghana is doing as a country. So, currently, Abuja is doing 5.5 million passengers per annum. That is multiple times of what Ghana is doing as a nation from Abuja alone. We have the intention of making Abuja as a hub and making it as a hub, we need to attract more passengers and make it hit the 15 million passengers mark between now and 2030, it is hope that this facility would take 75 million to 100 million mark”
Speaking further, he said, “This is very easy because Nigeria is geographically located at the centre of Africa and that of the world. We are taking an advantage of that and we are investing heavily. This is one of the novel things that Mr. President is doing. He told us from the beginning to ensure we finish all abandoned projects, rather than creating new ones, start them and unable to finish them. Mr. President has been walking his talk and this is evident with the commissioning of this project today”.
On relocation of control tower and fire service, the minister said, “As soon as the counterpart funding is paid, the money is accessed from the China Exim Bank, we will relocate the fire service and also build another control tower to serve the entire airport and many other things that were not mentioned here today. We will put the facility to use from day one and it will be restricted use. The other side of the terminal is very adequate for now for whatever we want to sue it for, but for the future, if you look at the terminal, it has an open space to accommodate other passengers”.
He said that the area covered by the roof is the size of five football pitches, 66 check –in counters, five baggage collection carousals, 28 Immigration desks at arrival and 16 Immigration desk at Departure.
Other facilities at the new terminal includes eight security screening points , eight passengers boarding bridges plus remote boarding and arrival, two food courts, four premium lounges, a 22 room hotel with spa, over 3000 square metres of Duty Free space and over 5,000 square metres of utility space.
On his part, a member of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Ibn Na’Ala, who represented the Committee, said that the new international terminal is world class facility that could compete favourable with other airport terminals across the world.
He added the terminal being a world class infrastructure needs a second runway and that it is the desire of the National Assembly for Abuja to have a second runway.
He stated that NASS would work with the Federal Government to give Abuja Airport a second runway.
