Lagos airport runway light project gets new completion date

*Facility to close for 90 days

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has issued a new date for the completion of the new airfield lighting work on Runway 18 Left of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

And between today, July 8, and September, the runway will be out of service for all flight operations.

The new September date is contrary to the July date that was initially given for the installation, to bring to an end the 14-year blackout on the critical infrastructure.

The Runway 18L that services the local airport was 2008 rehabilitated but without provision for airfield lighting. The current administration in July 2021 awarded a new contract for the airfield lighting and estimated completion in six-month.

The impact of the routine blackout and attendant under-utilisation of the local facility is telling on local airlines’ schedules, with the airport exposed to “operational nightmare”, especially at nightfall or in bad weather.

Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, said the authority remained committed to improving the safety and efficiency of flight operations and had concluded arrangements to complete the installation of the CAT III Airfield Ground Lighting system on the local runway.

“The project, which will commence effectively on Friday, July 8, 2022, is expected to last for 90 days. Consequently, Runway 18L/36R will be closed to flight operations during this time.

“However, stakeholders are to note that there will be no disruption of in-flight services. All normal flight operations will be conducted through runway 18R/36L (of the international airport). A Notice to AirMen (NOTAM) to this effect has already been published and disseminated accordingly,” Hope-Ivbaze said.

Managing Director of FAAN, Capt. Hamisu Yadudu, earlier told reporters that several of the facilities at airports nationwide had not been rehabilitated nor replaced in the last forty years.

“Now, we are going out of our way to make sure we do our best. We are fixing the 18L at Lagos Airport. You cannot land on 18L at night; now the contractor is back. He was supposed to finish in March, but the cables he had were of low quality and we are insisting on original ones. So, he said he would fix it by June or July.

“We have contacted the airfield lighting company in Europe to fix the new ones and to overhaul the whole airfield lighting system. There was no overhauling in 42 years. So, after nine years, we are fixing some of these things that were abandoned and we are also starting new ones, including baggage handling, the central cooling system and others,” he said.