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Tag: abuja airport

  • Abuja Airport: FAAN directs foreign airlines to relocate to new terminal before March 31

    Abuja Airport: FAAN directs foreign airlines to relocate to new terminal before March 31

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has directed all foreign airlines operating at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja to move to the new international terminal on or before March 31.

    Mr Sani Mahmud, FAAN’s Regional General Manager, North Central, disclosed this on Wednesday, when Emirates Airlines commenced flight operations at the new terminal.

    Mahmud said that the deadline given in order to enable the authority carryout repairs and renovations on the old Terminal C, where foreign airlines had been operating.

    He said that Emirates was the fifth international carrier to move operations to the new terminal in addition to Ethiopian Airlines, Air Côte d’Ivoire, Asky and Air Peace.

    “(The Emirates Airline) arrived with 176 passengers and 16 cabin crew on board at exactly 3:00 pm with a Boeing 777 aircraft and it is expected to depart with 222 passengers on the same flight at 6:00 pm.

    “This is the fifth international airline to relocate operations into the new terminal out of 14.

    “We have met with the remaining airlines and gave them up to March 31, to move into the new terminal that was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Dec. 20, 2018.

    “We believed that they have ample time to have moved into the new terminal and the old terminal is due for renovation.

    “As such, we have given them up to 31st of this month to move into the new facility and we will commence renovation of the old terminal.

    “We are confident that they will all move because we have given them offices and the connectivity is in place,” he said.

    The former Inspector- General of Police (I-G), Ibrahim Idris, who was one of the passengers on board the Emirates flight, said he was impressed with the comfort at the new terminal.

    Idris said that the facilities at the new terminal were of world class standard, urging the management of the airport to ensure that the standard was maintained.

    “This is obviously a world class airport like you see in Dubai and elsewhere and it is impressive.

    “It shows that Nigeria is moving forward because it is a dramatic change and I want to urge FAAN to ensure that this facility is properly and adequately maintained.”

    Another passenger, Joyce Mekebo, said she could not believe that Nigerian government could build such a standard airport facility, adding that it was the first time she had tasted comfort in a Nigerian airport.

    “When I arrived, I said so the government could do something this amazing all these years and they denied us.

    “So for the first time I am landing in Nigeria and I am not sweating, everything seem standard and international and the airport is really beautiful.

    “I hope they will maintain the stand because it is one thing to build a structure and it is another thing to maintain it, but let see how it goes in the next couple of years.

    “Other than that, this airport is amazing, everything is standard, it is working,” she said.

    Another passenger, Alhaji Wahab Adeniran, said that the facility and the quality of services rendered at the new terminal was impressive, saying that he could not differentiate the airport from that of Dubai.

    Adeniran said that proper maintenance was key to sustaining the current standard, and that maintenance culture in Nigeria had been an issue.

    “Actually, I am just coming from Dubai and when I entered this airport, I thought I was still in Dubai because this kind of facility and the treatment that we got here today is beyond expectations.

    “We have seen that the government is actually working, the president is doing pretty well and I hope we sustain this.

    “I don’t think I spent more than three minutes at the immigration point because the system is working perfectly.

    “What we need now is to sustain this service because Nigeria is very good at starting thing on a good note but sustaining that standard is always a problem.

    “We are happy that things are now working in the present day Nigeria,” he said.

    Asky Airlines was the first to start flight operations at the terminal on Jan. 6.

    The remaining airlines that were yet to relocate their operations include: the British Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish, Air France, African World Airline, Egypt, Rwanda Air, Arik and Medview that suspended operations at present.

  • Two men docked for trespassing into Abuja airport

    Two men docked for trespassing into Abuja airport

    Two men, John Sunday and Geoffrey Tenna were on Friday docked in a Kuje Magistrates’ Court, FCT, for allegedly attempting to trespass into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to commit an offence

    Sunday, a labourer, who resides at Nualege area and Sunday, an okada rider,who resides at Basa village are charged with three counts of criminal trespass, attempt to commit an offence and obstruction.

    The prosecutor, Doris Okoroba, told the court that the accused trespassed into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with their motorcycle on Nov. 8.

    Okoroba said they were arrested by the airport personnel.

    The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 342, 95 and 29 of the penal Code.

    Magistrate Jim Taribo admitted the accused to bail with two sureties.

    He adjourned the case until Dec. 10 for further hearing.

    NAN

  • EFCC seizes gold worth N1.1 billion at Abuja airport

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized gold worth about $3, 131, 412.39 (N1, 127, 308, 460.39) being allegedly exported to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, illegally.
    It named one Abba Ali Yahaya as the brain behind the deal.
    Apart from impounding his passport, about €112,000 undeclared by Abba, has also been forfeited over alleged violation of the nation’s Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
    The precious metal was handed over to the suspect by a syndicate of illegal miners operating in Zamfara State.
    The anti-graft agency is already on the trail of four members of the said syndicate said to have perfected ways of beating security agencies at the nation’s airports.
    According to a document sighted by our correspondent, the suspect, who admitted to be a courier, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by EFCC operatives led by a crack female detective.
    It was gathered that the suspect had escaped being caught by all the screening machines at the airport.
    The fact-sheet indicated that “the suspect was caught following a tip off after he had managed to pass through all the screening machines without being caught.
    “He was in possession of N1.1b worth of gold while travelling alone to meet with the Dubai end of a ring of buyers of illegal miners. Being illegally in possession of the gold was a violation of Minerals and Mines Act.
    “Abba had €112, 000 on him which he hid from Customs and he was caught with 19 ATM cards. Upon interrogation, he admitted he is a courier and he fingered a businessman. Our detectives later discovered that the suspect only implicated the businessman as a decoy.
    “The EFCC is already on the trail of four suspects connected with massive illegal mining activities in Zamfara and exportation of mines. Preliminary evidence has linked the suspect with a miner in Zamfara.
    “We have confiscated the passport of the suspect, seized the gold and the €112,000 he strapped into his body will be 100 per cent automatically forfeited to the Federal Government as contained in the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
    “The EFCC will file application before a Federal High Court for the forfeiture of the undeclared cash. The suspect is empowered by law to travel with about $10,000.
    “So far, Abba has been released on bail pending the conclusion of investigation.”
    As at press time, it was gathered that a probe of how the suspect scaled through the scanning points without being detected was ongoing.
    A government source added: “It was embarrassing that we have many screening and scanning machines being managed by different security agencies but they were unable to detect the suspect.
    “We are suspecting connivance with the suspect by some of the officials at different points. It is likely that the syndicate sending the suspect to Dubai might have penetrated the security operatives at the airport.
    “At the end of our discreet investigation, we will be able to find out how he beat the security network at the airport.”
    Source: The Nation

  • Abuja airport new terminal begins operation in October — FAAN

    The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, says the new terminal building under construction at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja will become operational in October.

    Dunoma gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen when President Muhammadu Buhari, inspected the project after the inauguration of Abuja Metro line on Thursday.

    He said the government and other stakeholders were prevailing on the contractors, China Civil Engineering and Construction Company to ensure the completion of the project by August.

    Dunoma said all the challenges that hitherto hindered the completion of the project had been addressed.

    He explained that the issue of water and power supply had been handled by the government, adding that the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory had promised to connect the airport to its water supply system.

    According to him, Federal Executive Council has approved an independent power supply for the airport.

    “So all these works are coming on and by October, they will all be functional and that is when we will start using the terminal building.

    “We are pressing the contractor to finish in August so that we can start operations in October and all the stakeholders are working together to ensure this.

    “The relocation of control tower and fire station has nothing to do with the terminal building.

    “Those issues are going to be handle in the next stage of the items of work that we need to carry out but that will not stop us from using the terminal building.”

    FAAN boss expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done, adding that the train station would be linked to the existing terminal for seamless movement of passengers.

    He explained that there were still more works going on within the airport which includes two car park buildings to be constructed on both wings of the terminal.

    According to him, there are so many things to be done but between now and October when we plan to start operations in the new terminal, the road network would have been completed.

    “Abuja and Port Harcourt airports terminal buildings are on the same level but because of the volume of traffic in Abuja, we prefer to start operations here first.

    “You can see there are congestion here and there and if we must ease up operation, we must complete this project

    “We are also working hard to put old facilities in order so that by the time we start operations here everything will be renewed.

    Dunoma said that there was a programme in place to ensure the execution of the second runway project.

    The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said the rail would make movement in and out of the airport to be seamless.

    Sirika said the light rail would also make transportation more efficient, adding that it would allow people to connect to their businesses and work places in much faster time than before.

    “It will reduce the pressure on our roads, ease traffic congestion on all the arteries that lead to airports around the world.

    “So, Abuja will be a classical example of multi modern integration and transportation which eases things and makes them better,” he said.

  • Construction of second Abuja Airport runway captured in 2017 budget – Lawan

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan said on Friday that the National Assembly (NASS) captured new projects, including a second runway for the Abuja Airport, in the 2017 appropriation bill it passed.

    Lawan told state House Correspondents that the projects were covered from the difference in the N42.5 oil bench mark proposed by the Executive and the N44.5 passed by NASS.


    He was explaining the reason behind the passage of N7.44 trillion instead of N7.3 trillion proposed by the executive arm of government.

    “We have been able to capture for example the second Abuja Airport runway which we all need in this country; we have suffered from having only one.


    “We have also been able to capture in the NASS from that fund the completion of the Baro inland port.


    “We have also been able to also include the Abeokuta Airport.


    “There are so many other things including the Warri– Aladja rail line and so on and so forth.


    “These are newly introduced capital projects from the proceeds, the difference between the N44.5 (passed by NASS) and the N42.5 bench mark that we received from the Executive.


    “So, we have done fantastically well.


    “There were no major issues like we had last year during the processing of the budget.’’

    He said that what the NASS passed was still within the good bounds of what the executive presented as there was not much change in the allocations.


    He said that the NASS tried to tinker in few cases but ensured that it did not disfigure t    he appropriation.

    “There won’t be, in my opinion and judgment, any issue whether the NASS has tinkered with the budget because we haven’t done much tinkering with it.


    “We have been able to agree mostly with what the executive has presented.


    “But I want to assure you that this is one budget that the NASS has worked so hard to ensure that every part of the country gets something just as proposed by the executive,’’ he added.


    On the increase in the appropriation for the NASS, Lawan said it was also to take care of the capital projects in the NASS.


    According to him, the NASS ensured that the increase was also derived from the two dollar difference in the oil bench mark.


    He said that NASS was building the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) meant for capacity building of legislators and non-legislators alike.


    He however said he did not think that the allocation was something big as far as NASS was concerned.


    “You need to have a NASS that is really poised, wired and competent to produce good laws.


    “Imagine a NASS where you have so many experts, many retired people from the industry, security services, even Presidents, for example, coming to the NASS.


    “So we should have a NASS that is properly and fully kitted and with adequate capacity,’’ he said.

     

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Ethiopian Airlines commend FG for rehabilitation of Abuja airport runway

    Ethiopian Airlines commend FG for rehabilitation of Abuja airport runway

    Ethiopian Airlines on Thursday commended the Federal Government for the successful rehabilitation of the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Solomon Begashaw, General Manager, Ethiopian Airlines Nigeria, gave the commendation at a joint briefing with Singapore Tourism Board and Changi Airport in Lagos.

    Begashaw noted that the decision of the government to close the Abuja airport for six weeks to repair its runway was a courageous move that had yielded a positive result.

    He said: “We want to commend President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika and the entire country for the successful completion of the runway.

    “We are very happy for the support we gave to the country and being one of the airlines that diverted our operations to the Kaduna Airport during the six weeks period.”

    Begashaw said it was the joy of the airline to connect the African continent together and beyond.

    He announced that Ethiopian Airlines would start flight operations to Singapore from June 1, as part of its expansion plans of connecting Nigeria and other African countries to South East Asia.

    According to him, Nigerians from Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Enugu can now travel to Singapore via Addis Ababa five times weekly.

    He said the flights would be operated under a code-share agreement with Singapore Airlines and would give Nigerians the chance to explore the opportunities abounding in the Asian country.

    Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Abdulsalam, Area Director, Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board, said the board was very keen on attracting more Nigerians to Singapore.

    He noted that despite having a population of 5.5 million, Singapore was able to attract 16.4 million tourists in 2016 due to its enormous tourism potential.

     

     

     

    NAN

  • Abuja Airport: Flight operations, businesses resume after 6 weeks closure

    Abuja Airport: Flight operations, businesses resume after 6 weeks closure

    Flight operations and other business activities resumed in full scale on Wednesday (today) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA) Abuja, after six weeks of closure for runway rehabilitation.

    The Pilot of the Medview Aircraft, Mr Mohamed Mwondha, who spoke with newsmen, commended the government for keeping to the re-opening time.

    Mwandha praised the quality of work, saying that the usual bump on the runway during landing has disappeared.

    “It is a very good feeling coming to Abuja after renovation. The marking is very good because you could see them from very far, nearly 10 miles.

    “The landing package is also very nice; it is smooth. You don’t get that bump that we used to have six weeks ago.

    “These airports, as we use them, they do get spoilt and everybody knows but rather than wait until it is completely spoilt, they should start looking into fixing them while we still have time.’’

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Air Peace was the first domestic airline to land at the airport on Wednesday at 7:24 a.m.

    Other domestic airlines that landed in the morning are Arik Air at 7:32 a.m. and Medview at 8:20 a.m.

    TheNewsGuru.com also reports that businesses like coffee shops, restaurants, provision shops and boutiques as well as taxi operators were ready for operations.

    Many passengers that spoke with newsmen expressed delight at the reopening of the airport in record time.

    A passenger aboard Medview Aircraft, Mrs Chioma Mdebmena, commended the runway rehabilitation, adding that there was lots of stress travelling through Kaduna.

    “We are grateful and we are proud of the government at least for this.

    “They should try and ensure that all other airports projects across the country are completed and there should be a time line for maintenance so that we don’t have similar experience in future,” she said.

    The airport on Tuesday received the Ethiopian Airlines’ new Airbus A350-900 to mark its official reopening on Tuesday.

     

     

    NAN

  • Timely delivery of Abuja Airport shows Nigeria can tackle, surmount any challenge – FG

    Timely delivery of Abuja Airport shows Nigeria can tackle, surmount any challenge – FG

    The Federal Government has reiterated that the timely rehabilitation and delivery of the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport runway which had hitherto been left in a dilapidated state by previous administration shows that the nation, under a determined and focused leadership can tackle and surmount any challenge that comes its way.

    The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the completion of reconstruction of the runway paved the way for the re-opening of the airport, after a six-week closure.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika had vowed to resign his appointment as minister in the event that the deadline for the reconstruction was not met by the contractors handling the project.

    The reopening of the airport for air operations came a day before the expiration of the official deadline and the first airline to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was the Ethiopian Airlines which relocated to Kaduna Airport after Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was shut down.

    The minister said that the delivery of the project even before the scheduled date showed government’s ability to live up to its promise and rise up to any occasion, irrespective of how daunting the challenge may be.

    He described as “a remarkable achievement” the ability of the government to complete the reconstruction of the runway within the stipulated time, despite doomsday predictions.

    “The clock-work precision with which everything concerning the closure of the airport and the temporary relocation to the Kaduna Airport was handled is the clearest indication yet that Nigeria can tackle any challenge,” he said.

    He noted that the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna road, the provision of effective security along the highway showed that
    Nigerians have what it takes to make the country a proud member of the comity of nations.

    Mohammed also hailed the perfect handling of the massive logistics involved in ensuring that the Kaduna Airport
    was able to handle a large number of flights.

    ”It is to the credit of the security agencies and the Federal Road Safety Corps that passengers travelling along the ever-busy
    Abuja-Kaduna highway were largely kept safe while the closure of the Abuja airport lasted.

    “There was no known security scare while accidents on the road were kept at the barest minimum, despite the increased vehicular traffic.

    “ Who can forget the timely departure and arrival of the Abuja-Kaduna train that ferried thousands of passengers
    back and forth during the Abuja airport closure?

    “Indeed, the closure of the Abuja airport runway and the logistic nightmare it triggered must rank among the most intimidating
    challenges faced by this Administration,” he said.

    The Minister reminded those who might want to trivialise the feat by the present government to realise that what could not be done in the over 30 years the runway was left to deteriorate was achieved in just six weeks, even under an economic recession.

    He also recalled that the Port Harcourt International Airport was closed for almost two years by the Jonathan administration.

    Mohammed thanked Nigerians for enduring the inconveniences that came with the relocation of Abuja flights to Kaduna.

    He also thanked the Ethiopian Airlines that operated its scheduled Abuja flights to Kaduna and the Julius Berger construction company that worked day and night to deliver the project ahead of schedule.

    Mohammed said the success recorded in the timely reconstruction of the runway could only rank next to the determined effort with which the government contained the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The minister noted that the current administration under the stewardship of President Muhammadu Buhari was employing the same uncommon determination to tackle all the challenges facing the country.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the airport was temporarily closed down on March 7 to allow for a rehabilitation of its runway which the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika both described as a disaster waiting to happen.

  • Minister of Aviation, Sirika makes first landing as Abuja Airport reopens

    Minister of Aviation, Sirika makes first landing as Abuja Airport reopens

    The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, was aboard a test flight from Kaduna International Airport that arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Tuesday morning.

    It is the first plane touching down, as the airport re-opens after a six-week closure for repairs on the runway.

    On Monday, The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) certified the rehabilitated Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja safe and ready for commercial flight operations.

    NCAA’s Director General, Capt. Muktar Usman, informed newsmen that the final inspection has been done and they are satisfied.

    ‎”Well as you can see, we have just done the final inspection of the runway rehabilitation and reconstruction of Abuja International Airport. It is done and it is quite satisfactory. We inspected yesterday and we made some observations but the findings that we found were not safety critical and today we found that they have been rectified.

    “So, the airport, the runway is very ready to accept flight operations safely. By this we are declaring that the airport and its runway are quite operational at the time that has been determined as the official opening of this airport,” Capt. Muktar declared.

    He added that the NCAA has “carried out the inspection and we have confirmed that the job has been done quite satisfactorily in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and recommended practices.”

    “The normal thing is to inform the aviation world through what we called, Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and that has been done and all aviators now know the airport is ready for reopening.”

    On calibration, he said: “nothing has been tampered with as far as the instrument landing system is concerned and everything is in calibration. Calibrations are normally scheduled and very soon this airport will also be calibrated along with other airports. It is not as if there is need for recalibration because nothing has been distorted. It will be normal routine calibration which will be applicable to other airports that are due for recalibration.”

    Also speaking to newsmen, FAAN MD, Engr Saleh ‎Dunoma, said “we are very ready. All the repairs have been completed on the runway.”

    “Previously, when you come here, you see various construction equipment on the runway but today, you can see through from one end to the other. That is from runway 04 to 022‎, their is no equipment on site. The runway is cleared.”

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the airport runway had undergone a six weeks rehabilitation which began on March 7.

  • Ethiopian Airlines lands Airbus in newly refurbished Abuja airport

    Ethiopian Airlines lands Airbus in newly refurbished Abuja airport

    The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport will be open for traffic from Tuesday and Ethiopian Airlines says it will land a brand new Airbus A350-900 to mark the official reopening of the airport on Wednesday.

    The Airline’s Traffic and Sales Manager, Mrs Firiehiwot Mekonnen, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    Mekonnen said that the aircraft would land in Abuja on its first day of operation from Addis Ababa and that it would remain on Abuja route.

    The airline launched its first A350-900 Airbus on the London Heathrow route August last year. It has three of the plane in its fleet and awaits the delivery of nine more before 2019.
    She said that the decision to celebrate the inaugural flight to Abuja was because of the airline’s commitment to the Nigerian market.

    According to the manager, the 313-passenger capacity aircraft is expected to land at 11.15 am to be the first aircraft to land at the newly rehabilitated Abuja runway.

    “The Ethiopian’s brand new Airbus A350-900 is landing in Abuja airport tomorrow (Tuesday) as the first aircraft to land on the newly rehabilitated runway and first airbus to land in Abuja.

    “From now on, we are going to operate Airbus on Abuja route,’’ she said.

    When Abuja Airport was closed on March 8 for repairs on its runway and flight operations were diverted to Kaduna International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines was the first to land its new Boeing 787 in Kaduna.

    The airline, being the only international carrier that agreed to operate at Kaduna, had maintained consistent operation at the airport in the last six weeks.

    Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had also requested that the airline maintained its Kaduna operation even after the reopening of Abuja airport.

    Mokennen told NAN that the airline “is seriously considering the governor’s request”.