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Tag: Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport

  • Ethiopian Airlines moves operations to Abuja new terminal

    Ethiopian Airlines, the largest African airline, on Thursday, moved its operations to the newly inaugurated terminal building at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, constructed by the China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC).

    Ethiopian Airlines is the second international airline to move its operations to the new terminal, inaugurated on Dec. 20, 2018, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Asky Airlines was the first to start flight operations from the terminal on Jan. 6.

    Mr Sani Mahmud, the Regional Manager, North Central, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said that the terminal had been equipped to handle all the international carriers.

    Mahmud, who is also the Airport Manager of NAIA, said that the terminal had been equipped with fibre backbone to provide free internet services to passengers and airport users.

    He expressed optimism that other airlines such as Emirates, Lufthansa, Egypt Air and British Airways would
    likely move their operations into the terminal in the not too distant future.

    The regional manager said that the issue of connectivity had been the reason given by some airlines for the
    delay in moving their operations to the terminal.

    He, however, added that “we feel great that the terminal has come alive after it was commissioned last year
    and one of the biggest airlines, Ethiopian Airlines has moved its operations into the terminal.

    “We are grateful for their cooperation and we hope that very soon, others will join.

    “When we have these two giants here, others will be eager to come.

    “Hopefully, all the airlines will come in within a week because the connections have been done. The duty free shops are in progress because the management wants a uniform-style that will be of international standard and we are ready to provide world class services here.”

    Read Also; Abuja new airport terminal to process 15m passengers annually

    Meanwhile, the Traffic and Sales Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr Tilahun Tedesse, said that the airline was determined to continue to champion air transport services in Nigeria.

    Tedesse said that the airline hoped to expand its operations, considering the space and facilities in the new terminal,
    adding that it currently operated about 100 routes from Abuja.

    He added that “we just started today in this new terminal and we will continue to be an example to other airlines.

    “If you remember the last time this airport was closed we moved to Kaduna to serve Nigerian people and Nigerian passengers and this time also, we have been asked to start using this facility and we have started today.

    “Asky is our partner and we asked them to start first, but we are the first to commence international long haul from here to connect our passengers to Asia, Europe and America.

    “We didn’t have a good space at the old terminal but here, we have enough space, many check-in counters and the air conditioner is perfect.

    “We usually deploy our big capacity aircraft to this airport when we were using the small space, but now, I believe we will be able to deploy aircraft like the Airbus and B777 series.”

    A passenger, Dr Ayodeji Samuels, a medical practitioner, commended the government for the new terminal, saying it was befitting for the seat of power like Abuja.

    Samuels urged the authority to provide adequate signage and self-service facility within the terminal to enable passengers to have seamless experience.

    “This is more befitting for the Federal Capital Territory than what we used to have and we hope that operations will go on smoothly and most importantly, this improvement should be maintained.

    “It would be good to have appropriate signage to direct passengers where exactly they should go and there should also be self-service kiosks where passengers can check themselves in before approaching the counter for boarding pass.”

  • Traffic peaks at Abuja Airport after New Year holiday

    Traffic and flight activities have peaked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja following resumption of work after the new year celebration.

    The airport had witnessed a drop in activities since December 24, 2018 after most passengers traveled for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    When our reporters visited the airport on Wednesday, many travelers were seen rushing to board their flights at the departures while many others were coming out of the arrivals.

    Traffic was more at the arrival hall than the departures, while the international wing also witnessed an increase compared to what it had been since Christmas period.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it recorded hitch-free operations during the festive period nationwide in terms of passengers and staff conducts.

    Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, said it was first time that there were no reports of confrontations between passengers and airport staff.

    Yakubu said the authority had earlier put adequate measures in place to ensure that every traveler enjoyed maximum comfort in the airport.

    She added that FAAN also gave out Christmas gifts to 300 children at their arrivals in various airports, across the country on Dec. 24, 2018 to make them happy.

    Yakubu gave assurance that FAAN would continue to ensure comfort and satisfaction of passengers at the nation’s airports.

    “It was a hitch-free and peaceful operation throughout the festive period because there no reports of confrontations between our staff and passengers and airlines.

    Read Also: Abuja airport records low traffic on Christmas eve

    “For the first time in many years, we had peaceful operation throughout Christmas and new year without a single report of staff or passengers unruly behaviours.

    “FAAN put in place adequate measures to ensure passengers comfort and we even gave out Christmas gifts to 300 arriving children on December 24,” she said.

    A passenger, Mr. Clement Adaji, said there was improvement in service delivery at the airport in recent times and called for standardization of the nation’s airports.

    Adaji said that more airlines were needed in the country to make it easier for travelers to buy tickets at affordable prices during festive periods.

    He said it was difficult for many travelers to get tickets during the rush hours due to inadequate number of aircrafts in the country.

    According to him, government should continue with the plan to establish a new national carrier to grow the economy.

    Mrs Mary Johnson, a civil servant, said she expected a better air transport sector in 2019 considering the recent improvement in the airports, especially Abuja and Lagos.

    Johnson urged government to also encourage local airlines to succeed and ensure reduced cost of air travels.

    She also prayed that the coming general elections would be peaceful and usher in new era for the people.

    “I want government to improve air travel in Nigeria but my major concern is the coming election which I am praying should end peacefully and usher in a new era for us,” she said.

    NAN

     

  • Buhari commissions 15m capacity terminal at Abuja airport

    …$69.3m required to complete projects

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the new Terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

    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: “It gives me great pleasure to be here for the formal commissioning of the new Terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. This event represents yet another significant milestone for International air travellers in and out of the Federal Capital Territory.

    “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 actualization of projects that will place Nigerian Airports amongst the best in the world.

    “This event today, reflects Government’s deliberate policy to sustain the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure. We are gradually closing 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.

    “Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal is the first airport terminal to be connected to rail transport system in the Country and indeed in the region. This 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.

    Read Also: Budget: Buhari lists achievements on infrastructure

    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.

    Speaking on the commissioned terminal, he said: “From political and economic perspectives, this airport is very strategic to Nigeria not only because it is the gateway to the nation’s capital but also because it the second busiest airport in the country and the fastest growing in passenger traffic in West and Central Africa, with an average growth rate of 8%, where the world average growth is 5.8%. The Airport processed 5,709,012 passengers in 2017. This volume equals to about 13 times the total number of passengers recorded by Ghana as a country.”

    Speaking on the capacity of the terminal and some of its facilities, Sirika said: “The terminal has annual passenger capacity of 15m covering a space of approximately 56,000m2. It also has the following facilities as well as capabilities; 72 check-in counters, five  baggage collection carousels, 28 immigration desks at arrival and 16 at departure, eight security screening points, eight passenger boarding bridges, walkway to link the FCT metro rail, additional apron for remote parking of aircraft and link way to domestic wing.”

    He also hinted that the $461m recently approved by EFC would fix all outstanding issues at the new Abuja terminal.

    He said: “Mr President will recall FEC approval of the second tranche for the funding of the phase two of this project in the sum of $461,795,551.02. The phase takes into cognisance, additional facilities that will enhance airport efficiency. These includes but not limited to construction of additional apron, multi-level car park, fire station, additional boarding bridges, connection between the old and the new terminals, facility and boarding bridge to accommodate Airbus A380.”

    On the amount needed to complete the terminal in Kano and Lagos, Sirika said: “This is the second in the series of Airport terminals to be commissioned from the projects funded by the China-Exim bank loan of $500m with a counterpart funding of $100m from the debt management office.

    “Sir, we are committed to rounding up the project soon, the contractor has gone ahead to implement it as approved, but recently slowed down the pace of work due to non-payment of $69.3m counterpart funding by government. May I respectfully at this point, request Mr President’s kind intervention in this regard, please.”

    Also speaking, the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma also said the new terminal would be commissioned as soon as money is released to the contractors.

    He said: “Work is in progress in the remaining terminal which is in Lagos and Kano and we believe that as soon as the funding is available, we would put a lot of pressure on the contractor to perform. They are on site now working but we are not satisfied with the speed. We can speed them up if we inject some money into the project.”

    The MD also hinted that the new terminal would lead to employment of more personnel needed to handle the volume of aircraft and passenger movement.

    “With the volume of passengers coming, we will need to continually increase the number of staff in order to cope with aircraft and passenger movement.

    He also said that the old terminal would now be dedicated to domestic and some regional operations.

  • Two men docked for trespassing into Abuja airport

    Two men, John Sunday and Geoffrey Tenna were on Friday docked in a Kuje Magistrates’ Court, FCT, for allegedly attempting to trespass into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to commit an offence

    Sunday, a labourer, who resides at Nualege area and Sunday, an okada rider,who resides at Basa village are charged with three counts of criminal trespass, attempt to commit an offence and obstruction.

    The prosecutor, Doris Okoroba, told the court that the accused trespassed into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with their motorcycle on November 8.

    Read Also: Four dead, 13 injured in Abuja crash

    Okoroba said they were arrested by the airport personnel.

    The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 342, 95 and 29 of the penal Code.

    Magistrate Jim Taribo admitted the accused to bail with two sureties.

    He adjourned the case until Dec. 10 for further hearing.

    NAN

  • Abuja Airport runway reopens after hours of closure – FAAN

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ), has announced the reopening of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following an incident involving a Gulfstream four aircraft being operated by Skybird on Wednesday night.

    A statement by Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, on Thursday disclosed that the aircraft overshot the Runway while landing and consequently got stuck on the Runway End Safety Area (RESA).

    Read Also Osun wins three gold in weightlifting

    Yakubu said that FAAN had reopened the Runway to take arrivals and departures, subject to a reduced threshold of 3000 metres.

    She assured airlines and passengers that the airport was safe for normal operations, adding that FAAN was committed to her core values of safety, security and comfort.

    “This is following the partial closure of Runway 22, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 2200hours, on Wednesday night.

    The closure was due to an incident involving a Gulfstream four aircraft being operated by Skybird that overshot the Runway while landing and consequently got stuck on the Runway End Safety Area (RESA),” she said.

  • Sallah: FAAN assures airport users of safety

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured   airport users that airports under its management are fully ready to play host to air travelers during this Sallah celebrations.

    General Manager, Corporate Affairs of the authority, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu disclosed this on Tuesday.

    Yakubu said maintenence of conveyor belts and escalators at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos have been completed and functioning optimally.

    Besides, she said airport security and other logistics have been upgraded and strengthened to provide for the expected increase in passenger traffic in and around our airports.

    She said: “As part of our commitment to ensure seamless facilitation of our highly esteemed passengers during the Sallah celebrations and beyond, the VIP Protocol lounges at both the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and General Aviation Terminal, Lagos, have been refurbished to give maximum comfort and value to our customers.

    Read Also: FAAN goes for modern scanners to boost security at airports

    “In anticipation of traffic surge owing to the season, Management is set to open the Departure Hall at the Terminal D of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to ease facilitation formalities of departing passengers at the airport before the celebrations.

    “We have also installed new directional display units to guide travellers, especially new ones, at our airports.

    “While we advise the general public and intended travellers to make early preparations towards completing their travel requirements in good time, we will also like to re-state that receiving of dignitaries at restricted areas by security agents and airport officials is prohibited and anyone found wanting will be apprehended and prosecuted.”

  • Restructuring: Southern leaders barred from flying to Makurdi

    Group says government descending into military dictatorship

    They were prevented from flying for security reasons – airport Commandant

     

    Some members of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum (southern flank) led by Chief Edwin Clark, were on Monday stopped from traveling to Makurdi to attend the Middle Belt conference on restructuring.

    Addressing a press conference in Abuja after they were disallowed from flying, the group said they were told they could not fly to Makurdi because of security reasons even after securing a charter aircraft.

    Speaking on behalf of the group, the Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, said the elders spent about five hours at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja trying to obtain clearance to make the journey but were refused by the Commandant of the Makurdi Airport whose name was given as Lt. Commander A. Audu.

    He said: “We arrived in time for our flight today at 12 noon; the airport commandant disallowed us from flying and said we needed to go and get permission to land in Makurdi.

    “We consider this fundamental infringement on our democratic rights of freedom of movement and freedom of association. There is nothing in our law precluding us from moving to wherever we like, from holding an opinion in so far as we do not breach any law in Nigeria.

    “What has happened to us today expresses a lot of doom for fundamental human rights in our country, for the free exchange of ideas as unavoidable instruments of achieving growth and development of our polity.

    “We deprecate the treatment that we were given today, which treatment prevented us from physical joining our brethren in the Middle Belt in a common view which we all hold, a very patriotic view, which we think will be the only way to guarantee the future of our country.” he said.

    Read Also: Restructuring will address IPOB agitation – Atiku

    Nwodo, who joined other southern leaders to watch the live transmission of the conference in Chief Clark’s residence, said that they wanted to show solidarity with the Middle Belt people who he said had been supportive to the forum.

    He added: “Please publicize this for many reasons. One, the teeming crowd that you saw on television in the Middle Belt is our brethren who showed us solidarity in other zonal summits. The fact that we were barred from showing them this solidarity is bound to hurt them.

    “Through this press conference, we want to express our solidarity with them. We want them to know that we are one and the same in our views of the restructuring of the Federation” he said

    The group also faulted the recently signed Executive Order 006.

    He said “Secondly, to deprecate this new tendency. Not too long ago, the President signed into law an Executive order, which gives him the right to seize people’s assets. This is almost like a military government. And we think that this is an intrusion into the principles of separation of powers in our country.

    “It is the responsibility of the legislature to make law, of the executive to implement the law and the judiciary to interpret the law. I do not think that Section 5 of the Constitution gives the President such Executive authority to make laws.

    “The right to property is a fundamental right in a democracy. It cannot be expropriated here without decision of the court. What has happened to us today shows a continuing tendency to slide into a dictatorship in a democratic government. That is condemnable.” he stated

    Asked if the forum suspected any deliberate attempt to sabotage their participation at the Makurdi summit or for other technical reasons, Mr. Yinka Odumakin said “The first jet that was to take us started this funny game of saying that there was a bad weather to Makurdi and that they could not fly. Until we got to other airlines and I asked what’s bad about the weather. They said they were ready to take us.

    “As we were about to make payments, they now said there was landing permit issues. They called the commandant in Makurdi, who said they should send application.

    “The Chief of Staff to the Benue State Governor said we should fax the application to him and to the commandant. We waited at the airport for hours. Eventually, the Chief of Staff had to contact the commandant in Makurdi and was told that the landing permit requested by the first airline was still on their table. At that stage, General C. Ariyo Niege, a veteran ex-soldier, who was head of Nigerian military forces in Sudan, went to the commandant in Abuja.

    Speaking on his encounter with the commandant in Abuja, Niege said he was told they would not be able to fly to Makurdi due to security reasons.

    He said “I pleaded with him that we were having issues in flying to Makurdi for the summit and he told me that for security reasons civilian aircraft were no longer allowed to fly into Makurdi airport.”

  • Buhari inspects new terminal building at Abuja airport

    … Operation to commence by October – FAAN

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inspected the level of work done at the new  terminal building at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

    The building being constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation  (CCECC) is expected to the completed by August, it was learnt.

    The President was taken on a tour of the facilities by the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

    President Buhari, who dressed in blue agbada and a matching cap inspected the building in company of some of his cabinet members after commissioning the FCT light rail project.

    The President who rode to the airport on the newly commisioned train left the airport by 12:13pm in a helicopter marked NAF-541.

    Amongst those who accompanied him were; The Secretary General of Federation, Boss Mustapha, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole,  Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udoma and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

    On the impact of the rail on the aviation sector, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika said: “It will make things easy and it will be seamless. People will come from the light rail and straight into the aircraft and vice versa and it will make transportation more efficient and that is the whole essence of transportation by air.

    “It will also allow people to connect to their businesses and work places in much faster time than before.

    Read Also: FAAN goes for modern scanners to boost security at airports

    “It will reduce the pressure on our roads, ease traffic congestion on all the arteries that leads to airports around the world. So Abuja would be a classical example of multi-modern integration and transportation which eases things and makes them better.”

    On the date the project would be completed, the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said: “We are pressing the contractor to finish in August so that we can start operations in October and all the stakeholders are working together to ensure this.”

    On some of the challenges experienced by the contractors, he said: “On the water and power supply, we have started the process of connecting the power system. During the last visit by the honourable Minister of the FCT, he instructed that the airport should be connected to the city main water supply system.

    “On power, government has approved for an independent power supply for the airport. So all these works are coming on and by October, they will all be functional and that is when we will start using the terminal building.”

    Dunoma also allayed doubts that the relocation of control tower would affect the commencement date.

    He said: “The relocation of control tower and fire station has nothing to do with the terminal building but those issues are going to be handled in the next stage of the items of work that we need to carry out but that will not stop us from using the terminal building.”

    He expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done, adding that the train station would be linked to the existing terminal for seamless movement of passengers.

    Dunoma who said Abuja and Port Harcourt airports terminal buildings are on the same level said special focus was given to Abuja because of the volume of traffic in Abuja.

    “You can see there is congestion here and there and if we must ease up operation, we must complete this project

    “We are also working hard to put old facilities in order so that by the time we start operations here everything would be renewed.”

  • FCTA threatens to revoke undeveloped plots

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA ) has threatened to revoke all undeveloped plots in the FCT, especially those within layouts where infrastructure has been provided.

    The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council ( AMMC ) Coordinator, Umar Shuaibu, issued the warning during clearing of the Abuja airport road corridor on Thursday in Abuja.

    He advised owners of plots on both sides of the road to choose between either developing their plots or having them revoked by the Administration.

    According to him, we are hereby, once again, sending a strong message to owners of plots of land in Abuja, especially in places where infrastructure have been provided.

    “They should come out and develop their property, because failure to do so will have those plots revoked by the administration.

    “It is their responsibility to clear all dirt in and around their plots.

    “We are not the ones to do it for them. All property developers who are given allocations across the territory should also develop them as a matter of urgency,’’ he ordered.

    Shuaibu said if the owners cannot develop their plots, it means they do not have capacity to do so, “so we will go ahead and revoke those plots and allocate them to those who are willing and able to develop them.’’

    The coordinator said the administration will not continue to waste resources meant for other equally important ventures on cleaning of some of the places for the plots owners.

    He said the exercise was part of restoring the beauty of the Airport road, similar to what it used to be before the rehabilitation and expansion to the current 10-lane expressway.

    Shuaibu said whatever the administration will do to make the important road beautiful, they will do it.

    “The Minister is very concerned that we keep this expressway beautiful, and that is exactly what we are going to do and will continue to do.

    “It is not just this road, it is a major gateway into the city, and we do not want it to be an eyesore for both our visitors and residents.

    “We are making sure that the entire city is kept clean at all times.” he said.

    The coordinator said it is AMMC’s task to clean up both sides of the road from the city gate up to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, and also to maintain its cleanliness.
    o
    According to him, we will do a pin down, where security personnel will be stationed around for surveillance, preventing the return of dirt to these places.

    Shuaibu also stressed the possibility of planting trees and flowers on both sides of the expressway, as the corridors were being cleared.

    The coordinator assured residents that in the cleaning process, bushes would be cleared, grounds level, illegal car wash spots, mechanic workshops, abandoned cars and bad tires will be removed.

    NAN

  • Human trafficking: NAPTIP rescues 14 victims at Nnamdi Azikiwe airport

    Human trafficking: NAPTIP rescues 14 victims at Nnamdi Azikiwe airport

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ) has rescued 14 victims at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The Head of Press and Public Relations of NAPTIP, Mr Josiah Emerole, told our reporter in Abuja on Thursday that the operation followed a tip off.

    Emerole explained that the victims, who were rescued around the mosque at the airport, comprised of 14 women and two men.

    “Officers of NAPTIP, following a tip-off, intercepted a group of 14 women between the ages of 15-60 years travelling to Saudi Arabia via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    “The two agents from Kano who accompanied them on the trip had been arrested and detained by the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Department of State Services as investigation is ongoing.

    “The interception and arrest of two agents travelling with the women came as a result of a patriotic Nigerian’s observations of the women’s movement and activities at the airport.

    “It is unclear yet as to the purpose of their trip to Saudi Arabia, though, in recent time, there have been increasing reports of exploitation being experienced by labour migrants in countries in the Middle East,” he said.

    Emerole assured that NAPTIP would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that more Nigerians do not end up as victims of exploitative domestic servitude in foreign countries.

    He said that the victims were being profiled at the NAPTIP headquarters to ascertain their proper and correct identities.

    NAN checks revealed that that the suspects wanted to take the victims to their destination in Saudi Arabia through Abuja en-route Lagos before they were nabbed at the Abuja airport.

    NAN