Mrs.Olubunmi Kuku, MD, FAAN
Mrs.Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has given insights into what passengers should expect when the new terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International airport, Lagos is completed.
Speaking in a interview with CNBC Africa at the weekend, she said the new terminal will have transit facility for smooth, quick, and seamless connections and would be completed within 22 to 24 months.
In comparing the planned terminal to international gateways, Kuku cited international airports airport terminals in Cairo, Johannesburg and Adiss Ababa , saying they are not aust destinations but act as transit facilities, hence international hubs.
“We’ve now been able to restore our operations back to normal. Now, in terms of the rehabilitation itself, yes, the 22 to 24 months still stands. As of November, if you’re passing through the airport area, we actually have now activated the temporary terminal. So there’s a temporary terminal that has been built. There are four airlines that have moved into that terminal. Middle Eastern, airline, Air France, KLM and Ethiopian airlines have moved in there. This is a temporary facility that was built within a three month period.
“We do have alternate routes that have been built into the temporary terminal. If you notice, there’s a bridge that has been built because part of the rehabilitation works covers the entry and egress from the airport as well. So we’re, of course, with the 22 to 24 months timeline.”, she said.
The FAAN boss, who dwelt on passenger experience said: “What we did was to look at the entire passenger journey from when you’re approaching the airport environment. So whether it’s the passenger drop off or curbside, and then when you come in. If you notice, over the last few months, we’ve actually redesigned some of our airport operations, and that has also been incorporated into the new design that allows improved passenger flow, where you’re potentially able to check in and even using certain touch points.
” So it’s not just the infrastructure. We’re also looking at how we can leverage technology to improve the touch points, e-gates biometrics. Right now you have the biometrics and the e-gates being used on entry. We’ve incorporated biometrics on exit as well, which is incorporated into the new design. So all of those are things that we’re considering heavily. But I think the big win for us will also be the transit facility that is being built and incorporated into this new design.”, she added.
Beyond this, Kuku disclosed that FAAN had registered about 100,000 users on its cashless payment system between October and March, with more than 62,000 registrations recorded within three days during the enforcement period.
She said the paucity of the system will allow the Authority evaluate it with view to fully implementing it perfectly at the international gateways.
The Federal Government is currently conducting a N712 billion rehabilitation, with a focus on building a dedicated transit facility to transform the airport into a major African hub.
Planned infrastructure includes improved passenger flow systems, new check-in areas, and enhanced security to facilitate faster, more convenient, and more efficient, international-to-international and international-to-domestic connections.
