Chairman of the Board of the FederalAirportsAuthorityofNigeriaFAAN, Abdullahi Ganduje, described the fire as a serious incident with implications for infrastructure, personnel and passenger safety.
Speaking after touring both the damaged facility and temporary operational arrangements, he said the board considered it essential to inspect the site personally in order to understand the scale of destruction and evaluate ongoing recovery work.
He disclosed that more than 150 firefighters battled the blaze until it was fully extinguished, crediting their dedication with preventing casualties. Although several sensitive installations were destroyed, he confirmed that no fatalities were recorded and that the situation had been contained.
Ganduje added that while the official incident report had yet to be released, the destruction of specialised equipment could pose short-term challenges to aspects of ongoing aviation sector reforms championed by Bola Tinubu.
Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about the airport’s remodelling programme, describing the quality of ongoing upgrades as comparable to that of major international airports abroad.
The fire erupted earlier in the week within a section of the airport’s ageing terminal infrastructure, forcing aviation authorities to temporarily suspend some inbound flights and activate emergency protocols. Technical teams later confirmed that certain operational systems were affected, necessitating immediate contingency measures to sustain safe flight handling.
Industry observers say the incident underscores persistent concerns about legacy infrastructure at Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub, which handles the highest volume of international traffic in the country.
The outcome of the ongoing investigations is expected to shape future policy decisions on airport modernisation, safety compliance and infrastructure renewal across the national aviation network.
Officials maintain that until the inquiry concludes, priority remains focused on restoring affected facilities, safeguarding passengers and ensuring uninterrupted operations at the country’s primary international gateway.
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