Abuja Airport Runway: Lingering project with no end in sight

The second runway for Abuja airport has lingered for too long with no end in sight for a project whose cost of N534 billion could be regarded as the most expensive in the world after completion with a likely mention in the Guinness World Records, writes, WOLE SHADARE

Jinxed?

The Abuja Airport’s second runway appears to be jinxed. The plan to give the country’s second busiest airport a second runway has been mired in controversy and continues to be a tall order to achieve more than 20 years after the idea was mooted.

The latest rejection of the entire contract sums and the variation of the project by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo has again brought the whole project to the fore.

New direction

Keyamo shortly after the assumption of office in late 2023 backed the project when he met the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike to discuss how to revive the construction of the second runway.

From the initial N64 billion, the Minister said an extra N81 billion would be needed to complete the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

If we go by the Minister’s projection then, the total amount for a single runway would have jumped to N145 billion from the initial N64 billion which was considered outrageous in 2009.

Inflation occasioned by the devaluation of Naira, not a few believed the cost was too high. Not too long after that, the contract again jumped to N532 billion.

Minister rejects new cost

Just a few days later, Keyamo vehemently rejected the outrageous contract variation of N532 billion from N90 billion awarded to the contractor handling the second runway of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja

The disclosure by the Minister shocked the entire nation and concluded that it would take the Grace of the Almighty to curb alleged corruption in every facet of the nation’s sector and sub-sectors.

He explained that the contractor after receiving the N30 billion and joining the federal capital territory Administration to compensate some settlers on the affected land, left the site. All efforts to get the contractor back to the site proved abortive on the grounds of unacceptable contract variation being demanded.

Notwithstanding the devaluation of the Naira, it stands logic in the head of how an N90 billion project suddenly varied at N532 billion in just three years or less.

He said, “The contractor in question is demanding for contract variation of N532billion from the original sum of N90billion the contract was awarded for. To us in the Ministry, the said variation is nothing but a fraud, leaving us with no option than to cancel the contract and call for fresh bids”.

Divergent views

Opinions have been divided over the construction of a second runway for Abuja. It has been a case of those who are in support and those who are not in support of what they termed a sheer waste of resources in the face of tough economic realities of the country and for the fact that the Abuja Airport; although the second busiest aerodrome behind Lagos Airport is not that busy to warrant for the building of a second facility for the airport..

Those who support the project gave their support based on the frequent incidents on the runway that lead to runway closure whenever an aircraft is stuck on the lone runway.

The nation has witnessed so many losses of economic activities any time the airport is closed for several hours as a result of aircraft getting stuck on the runway which has become a frequent occurrence.

The necessity of a second runway has long been a critical issue for the nation’s capital. The danger of operating a nation’s capital with just one runway is inconceivable.

Given the situation, many people are of the view that a second runway for Abuja is urgently needed not only for now but for the future but what is not acceptable to many is the plan by successive administrations to see it as a conduit for enrichment or lining of their pocket.

Abuja airport runway of over N500 billion is not acceptable to many Nigerians. There is a need to urgently appraise what has become another failed project in aviation in Nigeria.

Controversy

The project had been mired in controversy and delays since the Obasanjo administration. Since the Obasanjo era, it has had controversy after controversy. Some efforts started during the Buhari administration.

The Federal Government tried to begin serious work on the project in 2009 when Mr Babatunde Omotoba was appointed Minister of Aviation. At that time, N63.5 billion was voted for the project. That amount was said to be outrageous at the time, eliciting a public hearing by the National Assembly.

At that time, Dino Melaye who was a lawmaker at that period was critical about the cost of the project galvanized the citizenry to abort the plan by Julius Berger to build a second runway at a huge cost.

At that time and from what the lawmakers observed at the public hearing, that amount could build two airports and compare the cost of airports built recently by state governments. The cost of building such airports is far less than the amount of money the government plans to use and build one runway.

Not a few saw it as a scheme to defraud the country. The contract which was awarded at the cost of N64 billion by the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua was reviewed upward of N64.5 billion as the Senate was still not comfortable with the amount.

Comparison

The costs of recent airports built in the country pale into insignificance when compared to the new cost of a single runway for an airport given that the entire Gombe Airport with 3.6 kilometres cost N10.2 billion, Gigawa Airport cost N12 billion, Enugu Airport was reconstructed and expanded at a cost of N13 billion, Bauchi Airport N22 billion, Akwa Ibom N19 billion,

If the Abuja Airport’s second runway gulps over N500 billion, it would be the most expensive runway ever built by a country and could probably get a mention in the Guinness World Records.

Stakeholders are of the view that if a new plan is being made to build the second runway, it means that it should not be at an outrageous cost.

Besides, the major reason it had taken so long to build the facility since 2009 was because of its outrageous cost. It is expected that the cost of the project be reviewed downward.

Omotoba defends project

Omotoba had defended the project cost saying the amount projected for the project might appear outrageous, hence the criticisms but noted that the project was multifaceted with every detail embedded in the cost.

He disclosed that the planned runway was designed to handle Airbus 380, the biggest aircraft in the world with category 3 airfield lighting and other equipment.

The existing runway at the Abuja Airport was built in 1982 and was meant to last for 20 years. The runway expired in 2002, riddled with potholes that caused damage to both domestic and foreign airlines’ aircraft and that explained why there was continuous patching of the runway because it had become weak and would sag under the pressure of aircraft landings until a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and the Federal Government engaged Julius Berger to give the runway a total overhaul that was applauded by all.

He said, “The Ministers that came after me are afraid to make any move to build another runway because of the criticisms of that effort to build a second runway”.

Last line

The second runway for Abuja airport is long overdue. It is becoming an albatross to successive Ministers of Aviation. It is hoped that the Federal Government completes the project but not at an outrageous cost

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