Chinese Firm to Build Four Airport Terminals in Nigeria

12 Mar 2013



By Chinedu Eze

Top Chinese construction company that built the world’s biggest airport in China, Beijing Capital International Airport, would start the construction of four airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt in June, 2013.

This was disclosed Monday by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi, at the opening of the restaurant chain, Things Remembered, at the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The construction of the terminals by the Chinese company was part of the agreement reached between the world’s most populous country and the Federal Government when the latter took a loan for the construction of the terminals.

Uriesi said after the initial agreement last year, government officials have been doing the paperwork to work out the details of the agreement before the commencement of work by the Chinese construction company this June.

Last year, the Federal Government and Chinese investors reached an agreement that China would provide loan for the country to build state-of-the-art terminals at the four major airports in Nigeria.

The projects, THISDAY learnt, were planned to be completed before the end of this administration and the terminals would not only meet international standards but also rival the best in the world, according to Uriesi.

Although the terms of agreement reached between the government and the investors were not made public, it was gathered that it would be on build, operate and transfer (BOT) arrangement.

The prototype of the terminal has already been obtained and the Federal Government has agreed to provide free land for the project at the four airports, and because of the expected expanse of the terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, it would be built a distance away from the existing international terminal at the airport, but would share the same runway.

FAAN Managing Director also said the agency would soon upgrade power supply in all the airports in the country, but would start Independent Power Project (IPP) that would be powered by gas for the Lagos airport.

He said in the next few weeks the new power generation plants that were almost completed would be inaugurated, disclosing that out of the six generators the airport would need only two, while the rest would be on standby.

He added that the power plants could supply electricity to the whole airport and beyond.

Uriesi also said FAAN has adopted a new way of doing business and is fully guided by international business precepts, stating that before a private investor is allowed to establish any business or build facilities at any of the nation’s airports, the investor must meet strict conditions and must be backed by a bank that would provide credit facility for such projects.

He said the number of highly placed persons intending investors know cannot influence FAAN’s decisions because the agency has to adopt international standards of doing business at the airports.

“We are doing things right now and we are doing the right thing. Any deal that we strike with anybody will be done as they are done in other parts of the world. The business expectations are clear, the criteria are clear unlike in the past.

“We are not doing anything for a person but for Nigerians, we are not going to do anything with anybody unless we have evidence from the banks that they are funding the project and the money is there, from the day you sign and the day you start construction is six months, if you don’t start within that period, the thing falls away,” Uriesi said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/chinese-firm-to-build-four-airport-terminals-in-nigeria/141882/


FAAN MD, George Uriesi

That's good move but one in onitsha won't be a bad move!