MMIA Renovation Brouhaha —What Do Nigerians Really Want? By Tunde Moshood 

• Bayo Adetu
• August 5, 2025
• OPINION
• 0 Comments

When the news broke that the Federal Executive Council had approved N712 billion for the complete renovation of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 1 in Lagos, the backlash came swiftly and loudly, mostly from the comfort zones of social media. Suddenly, everyone became an infrastructure economist, a seasoned aviation planner, or worse, a self-styled corruption watchdog. But in all of this noise, one crucial question has been ignored:

What do Nigerians really want?

Is it a modern, world-class international airport that can stand toe-to-toe with global benchmarks—or another patchwork job that barely scratches the surface of over four decades of infrastructural decay?

Let’s face the facts. MMIA Terminal 1 was commissioned in 1979, designed to handle less than a million passengers annually. Today, it receives over 8 million passengers, often forcing travelers through a moribund, smelly, and visibly dilapidated terminal. The air conditioning system barely works, the conveyor belts are prone to breakdowns, and the aesthetics resemble a government office stuck in the 1980s.

Yet, when the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, finally approved a comprehensive overhaul of the terminal—the very project Nigerians have clamored for—scepticism erupted, not from a place of genuine concern, but from a reflexive culture of politicized criticism.

The Cost of Modernity

Let’s talk numbers and you can Google-search this. Ethiopia’s Bole International Airport expansion cost over $345 million. Angola’s new Luanda International Airport is projected to cost $3 billion. Kigali International Airport in Rwanda is being rebuilt at a cost of $1.3 billion. The new Abidjan airport terminal cost over $300 million—and that’s in far smaller economies with less traffic than Nigeria.

So, when you consider that N712 billion, at today’s exchange rate of roughly N1500 to $1, equals approximately $475 million, the figures begin to make sense. The planned renovation is not just cosmetic—it’s a complete structural overhaul with passengers’ processing hub in focus. That includes new baggage handling systems, smart security infrastructure, modern terminals, ICT upgrades, aerobridges, lounges, vertical circulation systems, a modern fire-fighting unit, energy-efficient systems, and integration with multimodal transport systems. In global aviation terms, this is not extravagant—this is standard.

The Keyamo Factor

It is baffling that some critics are willing to ignore the impressive leadership of the current Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, just to make another social media point. Since assuming office, Keyamo has taken aviation reform head-on—from resolving longstanding Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) bottlenecks to improving Nigeria’s ICAO safety rating from 49% to 75.5%, and even leading Nigeria to comply with Cape Town Convention protocols, opening the door for local airlines to lease aircraft from global lessors under fairer conditions.

Keyamo’s legal background has turned out to be a strategic asset. Instead of outsourcing complex aviation legal documentation to foreign consultants, he’s taken charge, ensured clarity, and driven agreements with efficiency that industry insiders now praise.

Yet, because he’s not a pilot or a technical engineer, some feel justified in questioning his every move. But isn’t leadership about vision, coordination, and strategic thinking?

The “Cafeteria Expert” Syndrome

One of the curious traits of the Nigerian commentary space is how everyone becomes an expert overnight. From politics to medicine to aviation, the voices are the loudest, not from those who’ve built terminals or operated airliners, but from those whose closest association with aviation might be running a kiosk near the tarmac. And yet, these “aviation experts” are the ones quick to dismiss a project simply because the figures sound “too big”. We must stop conflating uninformed criticism with activism.

Time for Constructive Criticism, Not Cynicism

No one is saying government projects should not be scrutinized. On the contrary, robust criticism is the engine of democracy. But criticism must be informed, balanced, and constructive. Not every initiative is a scam. Not every official is a thief. The belief that everyone in government is out to loot only breeds cynicism, not solutions.

Instead of politicizing this landmark renovation, how about we call for a public forum on the project? How about we invite engineers, architects, procurement experts, and regulators to explain the breakdown of the budget to the public? That’s how mature democracies operate—not by dismissing every project as fraudulent from day one.

The MMIA Project Is More Than a Building, Let’s not forget: The Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos is Nigeria’s economic and diplomatic gateway. It is the first impression visitors, investors, and diplomats get of our country. A poor first impression leads to a poor perception of the country. The new terminal must reflect the ambition of a nation seeking to compete in the 21st-century economy.

If we truly want a Nigeria that works, then we must begin to support visionary projects—especially when they’re backed by proven leadership, transparent processes, and a clear need. The N712 billion project is not just about renovating an old building—it’s about rewriting the Nigerian aviation story.

So, Nigerians, What Do You Really Want?

Do you want another cycle of mediocrity, where we spend little and get even less? Or do you want infrastructure that reflects our population, economic potential, and national pride?

The choice is ours.

Tunde Moshood is the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development