KEY POINTS:
- Fire outbreak destroyed critical Nigerian Meteorological Agency equipment at MMIA Terminal 1.
- Federal Government activates temporary terminal and mobile towers to sustain flight operations.
- Incident accelerates planned 22-month reconstruction under Tinubu’s aviation infrastructure agenda.
MAIN STORY
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed that a fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport destroyed critical weather-monitoring equipment belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET).
Keyamo disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos after inspecting both the damaged facility and a newly activated temporary terminal put in place to sustain passenger processing.
According to the minister, the NiMET office located in the affected structure was “completely gone,” noting that several air traffic controllers trapped during the incident were rescued using emergency equipment, including cranes.
Despite the scale of the damage, Keyamo said no lives were lost and flight operations were quickly restored through contingency arrangements.
He explained that the fire coincided with an existing Federal Government plan to demolish and reconstruct the decades-old terminal, which had already been scheduled for rehabilitation due to ageing infrastructure and capacity constraints.
“The building is over 50 years old and had already outlived its capacity due to increased traffic,” he said, adding that about 67 per cent of international passenger traffic into Nigeria passes through the Lagos gateway.
Keyamo further confirmed that temporary control towers and mobile facilities have been deployed to ensure uninterrupted flight operations while reconstruction begins.
He noted that airlines formerly operating from Wings D and E of the affected terminal would now process passengers through the temporary facility and the newer Terminal 2.
THE ISSUES
The incident highlights longstanding concerns about ageing aviation infrastructure in Nigeria, particularly at the country’s busiest international gateway.
It also underscores operational vulnerabilities associated with obsolete equipment, limited redundancy systems, and growing passenger traffic that has strained existing airport capacity over time.
Additionally, the destruction of NiMET weather-reading infrastructure raises safety concerns, given its critical role in aviation operations.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
Keyamo attributed the swift recovery to the government’s preparedness under the infrastructure renewal programme of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the fire had only accelerated already-approved plans to reconstruct the terminal, which will now undergo a comprehensive 22-month redevelopment.
The minister assured the public and international aviation stakeholders that flight activities remain normal and that Nigeria remains a safe transit hub.
He also commended firefighters, emergency responders, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for their swift response.
WHAT’S NEXT
Authorities have commenced rubble clearing while investigations continue to determine the cause of the fire.
Mobile towers and temporary infrastructure will remain in place pending the completion of the reconstruction project.
The Federal Government also plans to reposition the Lagos airport as a regional aviation hub capable of handling transit passengers without visa bottlenecks.
WHAT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED
Bizwatchnigeria.ng had earlier reported the outbreak https://bizwatchnigeria.ng/mmia-lagos-airport-fire-terminal-one-2026, noting that firefighters and rescue agencies responded promptly to contain the blaze and safely evacuate trapped air traffic controllers.
The platform also highlighted initial concerns about infrastructure ageing at the terminal and ongoing government plans for a full overhaul of the facility.
BOTTOM LINE
While the fire caused significant equipment loss, particularly to NiMET operations, authorities say swift emergency response and prior reconstruction plans have minimised long-term disruption. The incident may ultimately accelerate long-overdue modernisation of Nigeria’s busiest aviation gateway.
