The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced the demolition of Terminal 1 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following Monday’s fire outbreak that severely damaged the facility. He disclosed that several critical equipment belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) were destroyed, while confirming that no lives were lost in the incident.
Speaking after inspecting the site, Keyamo said the fire was successfully contained, though parts of the building—particularly the upper floors—remain unsafe. He revealed that NiMet offices and equipment were “totally gone,” and that some air traffic controllers trapped during the blaze had to be rescued by crane. At least six persons were hospitalised but are reportedly responding to treatment.
The minister said temporary arrangements have been put in place, including the deployment of mobile air traffic control towers, to ensure uninterrupted flight operations. He added that a temporary terminal for the few airlines operating from the affected facility is nearing completion, allowing services to resume soon.
Keyamo declined to speculate on the cause of the fire, stating that a formal investigation would determine whether it resulted from technical failure or other factors. He noted that the 50-year-old terminal had long suffered from poor maintenance and overstretching, reinforcing the Federal Government’s plan to reconstruct and modernise the airport, which handles about 67 per cent of Nigeria’s air traffic.
In a statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the outbreak, saying emergency teams responded promptly to contain the fire that began around 3:00 p.m. The incident disrupted flight operations, led to several international diversions and triggered multi-agency emergency efforts, as authorities commence investigations and debris clearance ahead of reconstruction.
