Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, MD, FAAN flanked by Directors of the Authority during a briefing to flag off ‘Safety Week 2025’ at FAAN headquarters in Lagos on Monday
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has threatened to initiate a forceful removal of fuel tankers and limousines that park indiscriminately at its facilities saying they pose safety and security risk to passengers and airport users.
Speaking on Monday during the opening ceremony of the Safety Week 2025 themed: “Navigating Conflicts for a Safer Aviation Industry in Nigeria.”, Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku noted that this year’s theme was carefully selected to reflect ongoing commitment to safety, collaboration, and the professional well-being of everyone within Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
While also frowning at other illicit operators, she noted that Authority has issued several warnings to the operators many of who are operating illegally, adding that the Authority will now remove them without notice.
Kuku, who described the situation as unacceptable, said their presence is embarrassing and unsafe.
She declared that FAAN is collaborating with Lagos State Government to curtail the indiscriminate activities of the operators.
“We do continue regular awareness program, the Lagos, Abuja and Benin airports are actually the locations where you have people sharing walls and fences with the airports and create wastes, porous environment and breed environment for wildlife and potential bird strike. We”ve increased our awareness across the communities we are having additional community engagements , we have engaged them on how we can maintain a safe a secure environment despite the fact that we have neighbours who are potentially encroaching or living within that area.
“The second thing is that we have friendly and unfriendly neighbours, the friendly ones are those who live in the area but they need to have a better understanding but we have neighbours who are major encroaches , and those are ones we see on the airport roads or approaching the airports , we have lots of cars and vehicles, I want to use this opportunity to say that we have reached out to various organizations like tank drivers associations, the limousine parks and all the owners of buses along airport risas and we have continually informed them via engagements, letters about the need to move away from those locations because it’s unsafe and hazardous to the environment and does not beautify the airport environment . Over the last few weeks, we have embarked on sanitation exercise to try and understand who those inhabitants are and to give them further notice. We have also engaged the Lagos State government and we are working with Federal security agencies as well to start to clear that space. This is another appeal to those inhabitants of that place to remove themselves from those locations because we will embark on forceful action.”, she said.
Kuku however noted that the Authority has chosen to focus not just on compliance to safety but on raising awareness about the importance of cultivating emotional intelligence, conflict management skills, and a culture of respect across all levels of the industry.
This, she said is vital if the Authority is to uphold the safety of passengers, stakeholders, and staff.
“As we all know, aviation safety does not depend solely on technology; human factors such as communication, trust, and teamwork play a crucial role. Where conflict arises, safety can be jeopardised.
“Through this year’s Safety Week initiative, we aim to enhance how aviation professionals manage disagreements, stress, and diverse opinions—especially in high-stakes environments where clear communication can make all the difference.
While acknowledging some of the unfortunate incidents that have occurred at airports terminals recently, she said the Authority will be equipping its workforce with the necessary tools to de-escalate tensions and foster understanding in order to build a safer and more resilient industry.
“We can all agree that this effort aligns with global best practices and FAAN’s vision of excellence and accountability—to be among the world’s leading airport groups. This will be achieved by providing safe, secure, and efficient airport facilities and services, transforming our airports into dynamic, customer-centred hubs that showcase Nigerian culture, leveraging technology, and fostering partnerships to enhance infrastructure and operational excellence.
“This reinforces the belief that every voice in aviation matters—from passengers to cabin crew, from air traffic controllers to engineers, and all the way to management—each contributes to the integrity and safety of our industry.
The management further engaged in robust interactive session on the operations and practices of Safety Management Systems (SMS) with the Directors to keep them abreast of international best practices in aviation safety.
