President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the new terminal at
the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, thus boosting the
airport capacity to over 20 million passe
ngers annually.
The new terminal designed to handle 15 million passengers in a year is the
second in the series of airport terminals commissioned from the projects
funded by the China-Exim bank loan of $500m with a counterpart funding of
$100m from the debt management office.
From the $100m counterpart funding, the government has only paid $30.7
leaving a debt of $69.3.
The $69.3 is expected to boost the speedy completion of the outstanding
project which includes the new terminal in Kano and Lagos.
Speaking during the commissioning in Abuja on Thursday, the President
said: “With the commissioning of this Terminal, Nigeria is moving towards
achieving and meeting global aviation standards in facilitation, passenger
processing and service delivery in tandem with international best
practices.
“This Administration recognises aviation as a catalyst for economic growth
and as such will continue to encourage and support the actualisation of
projects that will place Nigerian airports among the best in the world.
Buhari said the project represents his government’s policy to sustain the
development of Nigeria’s infrastructure as well as to close the
infrastructural deficit bedeviling our country.
“I am happy to note the progress being made in both the airports and sea
ports on the implementation of the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing
Business. Government officials manning these gateways are to sustain the
momentum and ensure travellers in and out of the country have the best of
experience as a necessary complement to the ultra-modern terminal.
He said Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport terminal was the first airport
terminal to be connected to rail transport system in the country and
indeed in the sub-region. This, he said, has provided passengers and other airport users
with a choice in the mode of transport to and from the city center
The President also promised to make Nigeria the aviation hub in the
region. According to him: “I wish to assure you that Government remains
committed to developing Nigeria into Regional air transportation hub and
thereby assuming its leadership in the aviation sub sector in Africa.”
He also commended the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika,
Government of the Peoples Republic of China, CCECC and the China Exim Bank
for their financial support and the various roles they played which led to
the successful completion of the terminal project.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika
urged the present to approve the outstanding $69.3 counterpart needed to
complete the terminal in Kano and Lagos.
