FG Expands Facilities at Remodelled Lagos Airport

The Federal Government has expanded facilities at the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with the extension of B and D arrivals and departures gates.

There are also ongoing massive expansion work at the top of the terminal as airline lounges, transit lounges and other facilities are being built.

On top of the existing fingers were added another floor where departing passengers would pass through to the avio bridges in order not to mix with arriving passengers, a cardinal factor in the safety regulation of the International Civil Aviation Organsiation (ICAO).

The new additions will enable easy movement of passengers, and establish the Lagos airport as a regional hub, as passengers travelling to different parts of the West and Central Africa would stay at the transit lounges and wait for their flights; the same with passengers coming from these destination and travelling to distant routes.

New screening machines have been installed at the airport and their remarkable feature is the ability to detect explosive materials and potential threat items real time with the lowest rate of false alarm.

30 new immigration counters have also been introduced as against the previous nine, which will improve passenger facilitation as there will be quick response from the counters.
The extended departure consists of 14 check-in counters, seven hand-luggage X-ray machines and eight walk-through body scanners at the E finger.

Spokesman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Yakubu Dati explained that the expanded infrastructure is equipped with 11 toilet facilities for both male and female passengers, as well as disabled persons.

He said the new extension comes with commercial offerings including shops and other business, adding that the duty free shops would provide passengers the opportunity for last minute shopping, refreshments and other conveniences in line with global standards and recommended practices.

“The improvement in physical extension of the passenger handling area is by one and a-half times or 150 per cent more than its previous size. Three new hi-tech conveyor systems have also been installed in this new section since early this year. This has been easing the experience of passengers who now enjoy faster processing of their luggage and personal effects," adding that the new conveyor systems can process the luggage of 1,000 passengers per hour

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