Nigerian Government has assured the travelling public that flight operations will not be disrupted following the recent fire outbreak at the old international terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during his visit to the site in Lagos said the affected structure was an aging terminal already scheduled for demolition and total rehabilitation before the incident occurred.
“It is not the new terminal that was affected. It is the old terminal we were about to pull down,” the Minister clarified, noting that temporary arrangements had already been made to relocate airlines and other operators from the building prior to the fire.
Keyamo commended first responders, including the Lagos State Fire Service, FAAN fire units, and other emergency partners, for their swift intervention which prevented loss of life and limited further damage.
He confirmed that no fatalities were recorded, while four injured persons are stable.
Although the building itself was due for reconstruction, the Minister disclosed that several critical equipment installations were damaged, including facilities belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
According to him, temporary measures are being put in place to ensure continuity of weather and air traffic services.
Air traffic control operations, which were briefly affected, resumed about an hour after the incident using temporary control arrangements.
Mobile control towers are also being deployed to stabilize operations.
On speculation surrounding the cause of the fire, the Minister declined to comment, stating that investigations would determine the root cause.
He emphasized that reconstruction work was already underway as part of broader plans to modernize Nigeria’s primary aviation gateway, which handles the majority of international passenger traffic into the country.
“We are not hiding anything,” Keyamo said, reiterating the government’s commitment to transparency, safety upgrades, and transforming MMIA into a competitive regional hub.
Clearing of the affected structure is expected to begin soon as authorities move to accelerate the planned redevelopment.