From left: Olubunmi Kuku, MD FAAN; Festus Keyamo, Minister, Aviation and Aerospace Development and Oliver Alawuba, Group Managing Director, UBA during the Unveiling of the newly refurbished E-Wing departure terminal at Lagos airport on Friday
By Sade Williams
Group Managing Director, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Oliver Alawuba, has reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to fostering and supporting the growth and development of the aviation sector.
Speaking during the commissioning of the newly refurbished E-Wing departure terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Friday, he said the organisation’s partnership with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in its quest to develop airports infrastructure across the nation, dates back to 22 years ago, adding that in line with its the UBA group is always ready to contribute its quota to the nation’s development through the Public Private Partnership arrangement.
“I think it’s a great day for us, we have been in this partnership for 22 years working with FAAN and improving the infrastructure. This is just an example of what Public Private Partnership can do. You have seen that Minister is committed to improving the infrastructure and Government cannot do it alone, so the private sector has to come in and UBA clearly, is providing that support as needed at this time. This is just the first phase, we are also going to remodel the D-Wing Departure.”, he said.
While itemising some achievements of Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo in his remarks to include Improved Compliance with the Cape Town Convention (CTC), increasing Nigeria’s compliance score from 49% to 70.5%, making aircraft leasing and financing more accessible for Nigerian airline; launching of Consumer Protection Portal and strengthening Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) which expanded BASA with several countries, allowing Nigerian airlines access to more international destinations, among others, Alawuba said these achievements highlight the Minister’s strategic approach to revitalizing Nigeria’s aviation industry through infrastructure improvements, policy reforms, partnerships, and cost-saving measures.
Stressing the impact of collaboration between the private sector and government, he said: ‘Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are more than contractual arrangements; they are vehicles for transformation. They provide an avenue to leverage private sector expertise, innovation, and resources to complement government efforts in addressing critical national challenges. The renovation we unveil today underscores what is possible when we unite for a shared vision of progress.
“Investing in infrastructure like this is not just about bricks and mortar; it is about creating an environment that catalyzes economic growth, facilitates seamless travel experiences, and showcases Nigeria’s potential as a global player. By modernizing our airports, we position our nation as a hub for tourism, trade, and international investment, unlocking opportunities that ripple across every sector of our economy.
“To my fellow corporate citizens and well-meaning individuals, I urge you to see this as a call to action. Our collective prosperity depends on how we collaborate to overcome challenges and seize opportunities. The government cannot do it alone; every effort counts. By partnering with the government, we can amplify our impact, creating sustainable solutions that benefit generations to come. As we celebrate today’s achievement, let us commit to doing more, reaching further, and dreaming bigger for our beloved nation.”, Alawuba added.
Earlier, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, while commissioning the facility, commended FAAN for its unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service to Nigerian travellers.
The Minister praised the collaborative effort between FAAN and the United Bank for Africa, highlighting this project as part of a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing passenger comfort and entertainment within airport terminals.
“This is part of a general plan by FAAN endorsed by the Ministry, to continue to remodel all of them in partnership with private entities within our limited resources to make them more user-friendly. What we are doing here today is the commissioning of the remodelled E-Wing departure hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport. You can see what they have done here , our concessionaires have done tremendously well, in partnership with UBA, we want to thank them so much, this is the outcome of the partnership, the new floor, a well lit departure hall, the adverts everywhere. We are going to other wings of the airport, we are going to work on Wing-D.”, he said.
Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of FAAN, assured aviation stakeholders of the organisation’s continued focus on improving facilities and services at airports.
She announced plans for additional investments in cooling systems, equipment upgrades, and modernising infrastructure by 2025, underscoring FAAN’s dedication to ensuring that Nigerians take pride in their airport facilities.
Through these ongoing efforts, FAAN aims to create a positive and enjoyable airport experience for all passengers and stakeholders.
“I do want to say that our passenger traffic remain strong. But there may be some economic realities that are affecting global nations but within Nigeria, we are expanding our facilities and planning for the future hence the use of terminal two. We are using the terminal D right now ,we are moving passenger in here to decongest and look at the arrival time and slot to make effective use of the capacity use of the terminal as well as the timing of flights arriving and landing.”, she said.
Four environmentally friendly CNG-powered air-conditioned buses were also introduced to improve passenger mobility within the airport premises.
