Fire Incident: Flights Resume at Lagos Airport as FAAN Activates Emergency Plans
- FAAN has confirmed that flight operations have now resumed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport
- Operations were temporarily suspended as the airspace was closed after a fire incident at Terminal One
- FAAN activated contingency measures, including plans for a temporary terminal outside the AOC
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Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Flight operations have resumed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after a brief suspension triggered by a fire incident, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has confirmed.
The development was disclosed by FAAN officials following the temporary closure of the airport’s airspace in line with safety procedures.
Source: Twitter
Speaking to TheCable, FAAN’s director of public affairs, Henry Agbebire, said the disruption lasted only a short time.
“It was just for a short period. Once the fire was curtailed, the operations started. Planes have been flying in and leaving,” he said.
Earlier, the Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, told journalists that the agency had moved swiftly to deploy a remote control tower to restore flight activities.
She noted that the remote tower should be up in the next few minutes and operations restored. She added that flights would start departing and arriving shortly after the restoration.
Contingency measures activated
Kuku explained that FAAN also activated additional contingency plans to minimise disruption. This includes setting up a temporary terminal outside the Airport Operations Centre (AOC), which she said should become operational within a few days.
The fire incident occurred at Terminal One of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, prompting the authority to temporarily shut the airspace as a precaution.
According to FAAN, the closure followed established safety protocols designed to protect passengers, crew members and airport personnel.
Emergency agencies respond
The FAAN boss commended the coordinated emergency response to the incident. She noted that several agencies worked together to manage the situation and ensure that operations resumed quickly.
Among the agencies involved were the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force and other security and safety bodies.
FAAN said normal flight departures and arrivals have since resumed at the Lagos airport.
Source: Twitter
Keyamo visits MMIA
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, paid an emergency visit to the airport after the fire.
In a statement on his official X account, Keyamo noted that he joined the MD and management team of FAAN to ensure the fire was fully contained.
The Minister commended FAAN personnel and first responders for swiftly establishing emergency procedures. He stressed that their prompt and coordinated actions were instrumental in safeguarding lives and limiting the impact of the incident.
“I directed the fire department of FAAN and the Lagos State Fire Service to maintain an overnight vigil at the airport to ensure that the fire is properly put out,” Keyamo noted.
He promised to undertake a tour of the airport to assess the extent of damage caused by the fire and to give necessary directives.
FAAN announces temporary shutdown of airport terminal
Legit.ng earlier reported that FAAN has disclosed plans to shut down Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in March 2026, to allow for major rehabilitation and expansion works.
The closure is linked to major rehabilitation and expansion works approved by the federal government.
FEC approved N712bn for the refurbishment and modernisation of the terminal in August 2025.
Source: Legit.ng
