President Bola Tinubu has approved the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
This makes it the second approval by successive Presidents.
Speaking at the Nigeria Aircraft Acquisition and Investment Summit 2026, with the theme ‘Unlocking capital, confidence and capacity in Nigerian aviation,’ the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced that, in continuation of the President’s development agenda, after completing the ongoing construction at the Lagos airport, the government will move to another airport.
Recall that, following a dire need, the Federal Government in April 2009 unveiled plans to construct a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at an estimated cost of N64 billion.
Under successive ministers, the Chinese contractors reviewed the contract price upward, citing economic conditions as the reason for the increase. The amount rose to N90 billion in 2023 and surged to N532 billion by 2025 for the same contract. Following this astronomical increase, the minister rejected the contract sum and has yet to announce an acceptable amount for the project.
The project, championed by the then Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba, was designed as a 4.5-kilometre runway capable of accommodating the world’s largest passenger aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777, among others. The proposed runway was to be 75 metres wide and equipped with Category III airfield lighting.
Keyamo had previously stated that President Bola Tinubu had directed him to source alternative means of funding for the runway outside the budget.
