FG commissions upgraded domestic terminal, begins Hajj terminal upgrade at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
President Bola Tinubu has approved ₦46 billion for the resurfacing and reconstruction of the second runway at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, as part of ongoing efforts to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Tuesday during the commissioning of the newly remodelled and upgraded Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal at the airport.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the runway project is expected to significantly enhance operational efficiency and strengthen Kano’s position as a major international aviation hub.
“The Government of President Bola Tinubu has earmarked Kano Airport for major upgrades because of the importance of this airport. That is why one of your great sons and one of our respected leaders, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was appointed by Mr. President to chair the Board of FAAN because of the vision he has for aviation and for this great state,” Keyamo said.
“The President has approved the sum of ₦46 billion for the resurfacing and reconstruction of the second runway so that Kano Airport can compete with other international airports around the world,” he added.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s aviation sector under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that Kano remains a strategic location for the administration’s infrastructure development plans.
Describing Kano as the commercial heartbeat of Northern Nigeria, Keyamo said the Federal Government has prioritised the state for major aviation upgrades.
He disclosed that work has also commenced on the upgrade of the airport’s Hajj Terminal, with contractors already mobilised to the project site.
“We have also begun the upgrade of the Hajj Terminal. That project is ongoing, and contractors are already on site as we speak,” he said.
Keyamo noted that the remodelling of the Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal forms part of a broader aviation modernisation programme aimed at improving passenger comfort, operational efficiency, safety and service delivery across Nigeria’s airports.
The terminal was named in honour of Mallam Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo, an aviation pioneer from Kano State, in recognition of his contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
In her remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, said the upgraded terminal reflects the Authority’s commitment to providing world-class airport facilities and enhancing passengers’ travel experience.
Also speaking, Chairman of FAAN’s Governing Board, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, commended President Tinubu and the Minister for prioritising aviation development in Kano, saying the ongoing projects would further strengthen the state’s position as Northern Nigeria’s leading commercial and aviation hub.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including the Kano State Commissioner for Transport, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, aviation stakeholders and senior government officials.