The Lagos State Government has reiterated its intention to construct another international airport in the Lekki area of the state.
The government believes the airport will complement the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and ease traffic.
Gbenga Omotoso, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said the Lekki International Airport remains a priority for Governor Sanwo-Olu, the nation reports.
He noted that Sanwo-Olu has committed to delivering the project before the end of his tenure.
Omotoso also revealed that all necessary documents required for the project have been submitted to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to kick-start construction.
Lagos state government airport project
The Lagos state government comments come in response to concerns over potential delays to the project.
The Federal Government approved the construction of the airport on October 10, 2022.
Once completed, the facility is expected to serve around five million passengers annually, with a focus on easing travel demands for residents in the Lekki, Ajah, and Epe areas of Lagos.
Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, who handed over the approval letter to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed confidence in the state’s capacity to undertake the project, citing Lagos’s cosmopolitan nature and its status as a major economic hub.
How the airport project will work?
Speaking further Omotoso stated that the project would be financed through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, clarifying that the state would not rely on its balance sheet for funding.
His words:
“We are not going to finance it from our balance sheet. It is something that will be done through public-private partnerships.
“It is not something that one can fix the completion at a particular time. You still have to raise the funding.”
Punch reports he also confirmed that the identified site for the airport lies in the Aiyetoro region and assured that work is progressing.
Omotoso stated:
“The project is on and it is not something we should worry about.”
Ekiti airport gets FG’s clearance to begin flight operations
Earlier, Legit reported that the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport in Ado Ekiti has been approved to begin operations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The approval will allow private jets and other chartered flight operations to commence at the airport for six months.
Yinka Oyebode, Special Adviser on Media to the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, disclosed the approval in a statement.