"5m passengers": Lagos State Gives Completion Date, Targets for New International Airport at Lekki

"5m passengers": Lagos State Gives Completion Date, Targets for New International Airport at Lekki

  • The Lagos State government has once again expressed its commitment to constructing a new standout airport
  • The airport, which will be located in the Lekki axis of the State, can potentially turn the State into the 'Dubai of West Africa.'
  • Lagos is now looking forward to completing the airport and has set a target when it will be ready for use

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience covering business and the economy

Lagos State Government has once again promised to construct a new international Airport at the Lekki Epe corridor of the State in the next one or two years.

The airport is expected to accommodate about 350 aircraft at a time and take care of about 5 million travellers annually.

New airport in Lagos
Lagos state set target for new airport Photo credit: Olukayode Jaiyeola
Source: Getty Images

Gbenga Omotoso, the state commissioner for information and Strategy who disclosed this, also said when the airport is completed, residents of Lekki will not have to make a journey to Ikeja, Punch reports.

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His words:

“The Airport is not going to take time, it is expected to be finished in about a year or two and that is going to be on Lekki Epe corridor and it’s going to be an international Airport, that can accommodate about 350 Aircraft at a time.
"It’s going to take care of about 5 million travelers and we are already talking to investors, because it’s not what the state can fund from its balance sheet.
“So everything that needs to be done by the Airport and every other iconic projects that I have spoken of, like Food and Logistics Hub, 4th Mainland Bridge are currently on the table

Investment in Nigeria

Lagos government also said talks are ongoing with foreign investors for the project, Champion reports.

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Omotoso added:

“We are talking to investors from all over the world to come and take up these projects and they have seen that Lagos is where the investment destination is, the biggest in Africa.
"If you look at the Foreign Direct Investment, there is no state that march Lagos and if you talk about foreign direct investment coming into Nigeria, when you look at Africa as a whole, Lagos contributes about 80% of the one that is coming into Nigeria."

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
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Dave Ibemere (Senior Business Editor) Dave Ibemere is a senior business editor at Legit.ng. He is a financial journalist with over a decade of experience in print and online media. He also holds a Master's degree from the University of Lagos. He is a member of the African Academy for Open-Source Investigation (AAOSI), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and other media think tank groups. He previously worked with The Guardian, BusinessDay, and headed the business desk at Ripples Nigeria. Email: dave.ibemere@corp.legit.ng.