Nigeria: Mmia Fire - Keyamo Moves to Safeguard Safety Standards

By Dickson Omobola

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and relevant aviation agencies to reconvene at the airport by 9:00 am for a joint inspection and evaluation of Terminal 1 to guide recovery efforts and ensure that operational and safety standards are maintained.

His directive followed the inferno that engulfed the terminal yesterday, leading to the diversion of three flights: British Airways, Lufthansa and Emirates.

Although the airspace was reopened and an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft was the first to depart at 7:26 pm, FAAN's Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, in a statement released at midnight, said Keyamo had travelled from Abuja to Lagos due to the severity of the incident.

Agbebire added that upon his arrival at the airport at about 11:50 pm, the Minister joined the Managing Director and management team of FAAN, who were still actively coordinating response efforts to ensure the fire was fully contained.

He stated: "While on ground, the Minister commended FAAN personnel and first responders for their swift activation of established emergency procedures, noting that their prompt and coordinated actions were instrumental in safeguarding lives and limiting the impact of the incident.

"He further directed FAAN management and relevant aviation agencies to reconvene at the airport by 9:00 am on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, for a joint inspection and thorough evaluation of Terminal 1 to guide recovery efforts and ensure operational and safety standards are maintained."

Read the original article on Vanguard.

Copyright © 2026 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.