The Federal Airports of Nigeria (FAAN) has said the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja processed 5,323,905 passengers in 2021.
The Managing Director/CEO of FAAN Capt. Rabiu Yadudu disclosed this on Thursday at the 40th-anniversary celebration of the Abuja Airport.
The MD was represented by the Director of Airport Operations, FAAN, Capt. Muktar Yusuf Muye. He said Abuja Airport "came into being 40 years ago. I am glad that the airport has continued to grow in leaps and bounds since then. In the year 2021 for example, a total of 5,323,905 passengers were processed through the airport, which was a whopping 37.23% increase on the year 2020 figures. In terms of the facility upgrade, the airport also has been quite progressive."
He said, "Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja is not just one of Nigeria's most important airports in terms of positioning, capacity, and revenue generation; it is also the airport that serves Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory, the seat of national governance, so it is both strategic and highly significant."
He said 40 years down the line the airport, the Airport has made significant improvements, especially in recent history. He particularly noted the total overhaul of the runway in 2017, the brand new international terminal, with a passenger processing capacity of 15 million per annum at the commissioning of the Terminal D of the airport was also completed and commissioned, while the airport has been linked to the railway line in Abuja, making for seamless movement of passengers to and from the airport.
Additionally, he said the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audited the airport and certified it safe and secure for flight operations, with 96% score in 2018. The process of recertification has commenced and it's currently ongoing.
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The highlight of the celebration was the commissioning of the paid parking facilities at the airport even though the implementation has been shifted to 2nd October 2022.
Speaking to journalists shortly after he commissioned the new facility, Mr. Kabir Mohammed, the Abuja Airport Manager said the automation is in line with best practices found in most important airports across the world.
Mr. Mohammed explained that when "you go into airports abroad and you see that nothing is done manually and when you come into Abuja airport, you find out that people park indiscriminately. We try to talk to them, but they want to feel they have a right to park. Yet they do not park properly and if we will pay people to tell them how to park, then we said let's introduce payment. So, we decided to automate the collection to reduce human interface and corruption. This will also add to the ambiance of the airport" he said.
