The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Senator Hadi Sirika, on Monday, inaugurated the expansion of the first phase of the General Aviation Terminal, which costs N2.2bn.
The project, which was executed by Glovesly Pro-Project Limited, has increased the capacity of the terminal from 254 to 1,024 passengers.
During the inauguration, Sirika emphasised that the project was initiated to address the long-standing challenge of limited capacity at the terminal.
He claimed that after carefully considering the situation, the government decided to expand the terminal as a temporary solution, adding that the ministry intended to construct a brand-new, significantly larger domestic terminal as soon as possible.
The first part of the project, which started early last year, was timely completed by the contractor, to the minister’s satisfaction.
He expressed optimism that the facility will enhance passenger convenience at the terminal and help the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria generate more income.
He said that in addressing the capacity issues the terminal was facing, the opening of the expanded General Aviation Terminal represented a key turning point.
He asserts that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is dedicated to boosting the entire passenger experience and strengthening infrastructure as the aviation industry develops for the benefit of all stakeholders.
New protocol lounges, airline offices, VIP lounges, and contemporary amenities are all featured in the extended terminal with the goal of improving passenger security, comfort, and safety.
The addition includes an aviation small clinic, fire alarms, and central air conditioning.
The minister said,
“You will agree with me that the geometric increase in population of Nigeria, which resulted in increase in passenger volume, has overwhelmed available facilities at this terminal and as part of efforts to address this challenge, the Federal Government at some point developed the Zulu terminal to complement the existing old terminal, but the capacity limitation situation still persisted.
“Oftentimes, particularly at peak periods, you will observe that facilities in this terminal are usually overstretched because the volume of passengers using the facilities far outweighs the capacity available.”
“The facility we are inaugurating today is a product of that thought, and it is only the first phase of the project. As soon as we put this to use, we hope that the incoming administration will continue with the construction of the second phase
“As you will be seeing in due course, this facility contains brand-new protocol lounges, airline office spaces, and VIP lounges, with the complement of conveniences that will enhance the safety, security and comfort of our esteemed passengers,” he enunciated.
