The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has announced plans to shut down Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos starting from March 2026.
This closure forms part of a major rehabilitation and expansion programme for the ageing facility.
The temporary shutdown, set to begin in about one month from the announcement, aims to tackle ongoing structural, electrical, and operational issues.
FAAN made the disclosure in a statement posted on its official X handle on Sunday, in response to a recent power outage that affected operations at the terminal.
The authority attributed the outage to a fault in the power changeover circuit supplying electricity to Terminal 1.
“The challenges experienced at Terminal 1 are largely due to long-standing infrastructure limitations,” FAAN said.
“As preparations are underway to shut down the terminal in one month under the MMIA Rehabilitation and Expansion Project, it is not feasible to deploy permanent backup power equipment at this stage.”
FAAN stated that the planned closure would allow for full reconstruction, moving away from short-term repairs to lasting solutions.
The authority noted that reconstruction activities at the Lagos airport formally started on September 4, 2025, after the Federal Executive Council approved N712 billion in August 2025 for the refurbishment and modernisation of Terminal 1.
Earlier, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, described the project’s goals.
“The focus of this project is the complete rehabilitation, upgrade and modernisation of Terminal 1 to bring it in line with global best practices,” Keyamo said.
FAAN added that temporary workspaces have been built for airlines and service providers operating from the terminal since the rehabilitation began.
The authority apologised for the recent power disruption and similar past incidents linked to the outdated infrastructure.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused by the recent outage,” FAAN said.
“Our commitment remains to deliver a safer, more reliable and passenger-friendly airport environment.”
Power outages have repeatedly troubled the Lagos international airport, including a significant blackout in 2024 that stranded passengers and disrupted flights.
FAAN assured all stakeholders that the upcoming closure and full rehabilitation would greatly enhance service quality and efficiency once completed.
