Lagos State Government may have secured the approval of the Federal Government to build its own airport. The  state government had, since the administration of Senator Bola Tinubu nursed the ambition of having its own airport, which agitation the present government of Mr. Babatunde Fashola has continued. A Presidency source told Vanguard that pressures from the state government on the Federal Government for approval to build the airport at Epe had been overwhelming, adding that President Umaru Yar'Ádua has given his nod.

According to him, with the approval, the state government is to begin work on the project, depending on the necessary permits from the relevant agencies of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

“Yes, the Lagos State Government has got the approval of the President to build its own airport at Epe. In fact, the state government has been piling pressures on the Federal Government for permit to build the airport in view of the development of an export processing zone (EPZ) at Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos.

“Don’t forget that airport development falls under the exclusive list, which the Federal Government alone could approve. Come to think of it, Lagos is large enough to conveniently accommodate more than one airport, so that those on the Island do not have to come to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, to board an aircraft,” the source said.

The source said the Presidency had referred all issues concerning the airport to the relevant Federal Government agencies in charge of airport development in the country, stressing that government had recognised the need to also use the aviation sector to drive the nation’s economy in efforts to make one of the top 20 economies in the world.

It was learnt that the approval may have made nonsense of the concession agreement between Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, on building of airport in Lagos.

Bi-Courtney built the new domestic terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA2), Ikeja, on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Mr. Hakeem Bello, could not confirm news of the development.

“I’m not in the office right now, but as soon as I get to the office, I shall confirm and get back to you,” he said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/35064/43/

this is a welcome news if its true.

so that those on the Island do not have to come to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, to board an aircraft,” the source said.

Location of the new airport should be based on future growth, clear statistics and not politics.

The objective should be clear: local or international

how many airports lagos wan get?

how many airports lagos wan get?

Lagos is 15million people.

It surely deserve another airport when you project the future growth.

moneygurl:



It was learnt that the approval may have made nonsense of the concession agreement between Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, on building of airport in Lagos.

Bi-Courtney built the new domestic terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA2), Ikeja, on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/35064/43/

I think the Bi-courtney Aviation BOT agreement with the FG is just for the domestic terminal.

deor03:


I think the Bi-courtney Aviation BOT agreement with the FG is just for the domestic terminal.

even if for international terminal.

BOT does not say that new airport should not be built to cope with planned growth.

busi-bodi:

even if for international terminal.

BOT does not say that new airport should not be built to cope with planned growth.

Well from the traffic/business consideration, a good percentage of frequent passengers in the international wing of the airport reside on the island. Therefore, if Lagos builds an international airport on the airport, the number of passengers that use the MM will reduce and therefore affects the projected revenue of the BOT deal

London has

City airport
Heathrow
Gatwick
Luton
Stanstead

These are all international airports, Lagos with a population of about 18 million clearly desrves another international airport with an excellent cargo service, aviation services and hanger lane for several private jets and chartered aircratf services.

deor03:

Well from the traffic/business consideration, a good percentage of frequent passengers in the international wing of the airport reside on the island. Therefore, if Lagos builds an international airport on the airport, the number of passengers that use the MM will reduce and therefore affects the projected revenue of the BOT deal

Any proof for this please as the residents on the island cannot be up to 1 million people in my humble opinion.

Lagosboy:

Any proof for this please as the residents on the island cannot be up to[b] 1 million people[/b] in my humble opinion.

The MM airport handles just about 3.5- 4 million passengers per year. So if a high proportion 1 million residents travels frequently; the they probably form a substantial ratio that a business man will consider. Especially if in a BOT arrangement with projected future revenue

Lagosboy:

London has

City airport
Heathrow
Gatwick
Luton
Stanstead

These are all international airports, Lagos with a population of about 18 million clearly desrves another international airport with an excellent cargo service, aviation services and hanger lane for several private jets and chartered aircratf services.

So you are comparing Lagos with London? How many Lagosian will fly in their life time let alone every year? How many of them knows what is called vacation or holiday that requires them to fly? How many world corporate companies are based in Lagos compared to London, the world economic capital and the home of FTSE 100 INDEX?
Why do Lagos state govt needs an airport for, when the govts of world largest economies like the U.S, U.K, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada etc no longer run any airport, as all had been privatized?
Talk about getting priorities wrong. Lagos is blessed with water all around it and thousands of inner city canals that can be developed into a well connected intercity ferry system, that can cut not just the pollution on it's roads but the deadly and crunchy traffic jam experience by Lagosians year in year out. Most Lagosians starting work at 8.00 am in the morning had to leave their homes at at least 5.30am in order to reach work just on time due to traffic jams and that means stress, exposure to dangers of robbers and muggers.

Sometimes I just wonder the type of people that runs the affairs of Nigeria, what their brain content is made off. The money they will be useing now for building an airport (an elephant project)in a third world economy and environment can be channelled into a long term plan of developing an intercity Railwail network that covers every single breath of Lagos in at least 35 years, A well connected Ferry system that can make the journey from Orile or Ajegunle to Idumota to just a 30 minute enjoyable journey and a tram system that can easily link Victorial Island to Broad street, into areas like Surulere and Festac in a twinkle of an eye, and it will benefit an average Lagosian both rich and poor, will create thousands of manpower jobs for it's tax payers,  it's cheaper to run and maintained and internal tourism, which can kick start an external tourism and boost the cash in the coffer of the govt.

Lagosboy:

London has

City airport
Heathrow
Gatwick
Luton
Stanstead

These are all international airports, Lagos with a population of about 18 million clearly desrves another international airport with an excellent cargo service, aviation services and hanger lane for several private jets and chartered aircratf services.

Strictly speaking, Heathrow and City Airports are the only airports in London. Gatwick is West Sussex, Luton is in Bedfordshire and Stanstead is in Essex. They are just have London prefix but are all located about 40 miles from London.

busi-bodi:

this is a welcome news if its true.

Location of the new airport should be based on future growth, clear statistics and not politics.

The objective should be clear: local or international

You are right. And I think this is a project that should be left for the private sector. State government should not be engaged in the businessof building airports in modern day economy.

moneygurl:

[It was learnt that the approval may have made nonsense of the concession agreement between Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, on building of airport in Lagos.

It shouldn't really matter because the govt should be promoting competition. Bi-Courtney cannot hold a monopoly on airport development. It should be a 'free market'. If the private sector thinks there is a market for additional airport in Lagos let them go ahead and build it.

deor03:

The MM airport handles just about 3.5- 4  million passengers per year.  So if a high proportion 1 million residents travels  frequently; the they probably form a substantial ratio that  a business man will consider. Especially if in a BOT arrangement with projected future revenue

That absolutely made my case about the confusion of our rulers. If MM airport handles as little as 3.5-4 million passengers annually, why is anybody with brain building another airport in Lagos, when London Heathrow airport alone, some one was using as an example before handles more than 20 million passengers annually or more.

Nigerian rulers and their myopic ruled likes elephant projects, they like short time quick projects that bears no fruit for the future, that is why they don't plan or engaged on any project that won't be completed within their terms of office, thereby putting their personal ego and quick popularity of the overall interest of people and future generation.

This airport is not just for Lagos and Nigeria. Epe is part of the corridor to west africa. Thats why they are building a port in the lekki area and the are turning the badagry express way to 10 lanes (it leads to other west african states). And if lagos builds its own aiport thats extra revenue for the state, and more people might use the airpor compared to the MMA. The airport will also have a cargo area.



And for the person talking about rail and water transportation, the state govt is already investing in that.

That absolutely made my case about the confusion of our rulers. If MM airport handles as little as 3.5-4 million passengers annually, why is anybody with brain building another airport in Lagos, when London Heathrow airport alone, some one was using as an example before handles more than 20 million passengers annually or more.

look at the big picture.

this is planned growth. Lagos is going to be 25mil people in 2015.

It will serve people from EAST and South West.

plus airport are built for various capacities.

Oh Boy there goes the property value in Lekki.

I guess I wil not be able to afford anything there now!

Question: Instead of wasting more money why not refurbish/expand the one we currently have?

Seems like we just dont have a maintenance culture. Once we build a brand new airport and the facilities get exhausted due to lack of maintenance what next?

The airport would be over grown with weeds in about 15 to 20 years time. The airport in Ibadan is a good example, was deemed not viable becos Ibadan is too close to lagos and there are only so so much passengers in Nigeria. Only 5% of the population ever travels by plane. I agree it is a White elephant project.

morpheus24:

Oh Boy there goes the property value in Lekki.

I guess I wil not be able to afford anything there now!

do you really want to live under/next to an airport?

is this not the same area they are planning to build a port

the place will be over congested in no time, tankers, rail , planes
the noise will be too much!

Fashola should focus on other parts of lagos too leave lekki/epe/vi to private investors

If the federal government is going to be the one to fund the project then maybe Lagos state need their approval but if not, I see no fuking reason why we need approval from federal government to build airports on our land. It's ours and the federal government doesn't have shit to do with it. Nigerians are giving power to the federal government too much it needs to be decentralized for their to be lesser power abuse. Why can't anyone see that the federal government system is not needed in a nation where we have different people with different ideologies. It should be the state government's job to decide whether to build a airport or not. I thought Fashola is a lawyer? How do we make Nigerians read their constitutional rights? This would solve many problems in Nigeria and it will make many people interested in protecting Human rights.

The airport would be over grown with weeds in about 15 to 20 years time. The airport in Ibadan is a good example, was deemed not viable becos Ibadan is too close to lagos and there are only so so much passengers in Nigeria. Only 5% of the population ever travels by plane. I agree it is a White elephant project.

that is wrong. Ibadan International Airport was killed by politics of FG - NPN.

The metrics of 70s are surely different when you look at future growth and wealth now available.

Airports are built for various capacity, and with cheaper landing, better security and parking fees it can actually compete with the expensive MM airport.