The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has apologised for the temporary power outage at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 1 on Saturday, attributing the disruption to a fault in the terminal’s changeover circuit.
In a statement on Sunday, FAAN explained that its technical teams acted swiftly, transferring power to the secondary grid and activating interim backup measures to restore airport operations. The agency expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers and stakeholders.
FAAN noted that the incident highlighted long-standing infrastructure limitations at Terminal 1. With the terminal scheduled to shut down next month for the MMIA Rehabilitation and Expansion Project, installing permanent new backup systems at this time was deemed not feasible. The authority appealed for public understanding during the transition from temporary solutions to long-term improvements, reaffirming its commitment to a safer and more reliable passenger experience.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed that he engaged FAAN over the disruption and that the situation had been resolved. The outage comes as preparations continue for the N712 billion Terminal 1 overhaul, approved by the Federal Executive Council in August 2025.
The 22-month MMIA Rehabilitation and Expansion Project will involve:
- Complete reconstruction and remodelling of Terminal 1
- Repairs to access roads and bridges
- Expansion of Terminal 2
- Upgrades to security systems, airfield lighting, and apron areas
- Replacement of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems
The terminal, originally commissioned in 1979, will be stripped to its structural core and rebuilt, addressing decades of infrastructure deficits.
