Lagos Airporft Terminal Two Manager signifies interest in the ongoing airport concession bidding

Dr. Wale Babalakin, Chairman BASL, Manager MMA2 Lagos

Manager of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal Two, MMA2, Dr. Wale Babalakin has appealed to the Federal Government to consider indigenous companies first in the ongoing bidding for the concession of the four major international airports.

The airports are, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja and on August this year the Federal Government opened bidding for the concession of the airports.

He said, it was fair not only to give priority to indigenous companies but also those with proven records in the development and management of infrastructure of such magnitude.

At a news conference in Lagos, Dr. Babalakin said, the MMA2 had become a reference of a successful working Public, Private, Partnership, PPP model in Nigeria and Africa.

“There is a bid going on in the country for the concession of  Abuja, Kano, Lagos and  Port Harcourt Airports in every well organized country; what would happen is that the authorities would call on those who have done it well and say we are going to give you the first option because you have demonstrated capacity. You don’t need to bring technical expertise from abroad you have them in Nigeria tested for 14 years”.

According to him, they should be given another opportunity to consolidate on its successful PPP records to participate in bidding for one of the four major international airports under the concession agreement.

“I think it will be better to consult those who have track records. Before MMA2, nobody talked about terminals but after the completion of MMA2, Asaba built a terminal, I also hear about, Bauchi, Dutse have terminals and now I think Anambra State is planning to have one. We have succeeded immensely as an eye opener to aviation infrastructure development in Nigeria”.

He also appealed to the Federal government to implement the approval granted for the commencement of regional flights from the MMA2 terminal.

Dr. Babalakin said, the terminal had meant all the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA standards for such activities, adding that, the airlines were also willing and ready to commence flights from there.

He stated that, the benefits of operating flights from the terminal was huge as it would ease logistics both for the airlines and passengers as well as save money for fuel burn by aircraft moving from one terminal to another another.

“The airlines are also loosing money too, the fuel cost of taxiing from domestic to international wing is a major cost for them. We have an agreement to start regional flights, with the government but government has refused to implement it”.