Chaos as flooding shuts Lagos airport temporary terminal

Lagos's Murtala Muhammed International Airport experienced significant disruption on Sunday when severe flooding hit its temporary terminal. Heavy rainfall inundated the departure hall, boarding gates, and temporary airline offices, creating chaos for travelers and operations.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) was forced to abruptly shut down the facility. Airlines operating from the temporary terminal, including Air France-KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, and Fly Gabon, had to be relocated to Terminal Two. The airport's powerhouse was also flooded, necessitating a shutdown of electricity.

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It was the construction works that affected the drainage. And for operational reasons, we have moved airlines operating from that terminal to Terminal 2, and the development has not really affected their operations.

FAAN officials pointed to blocked drainage channels as the cause of the flooding. They alleged that ongoing reconstruction of the old international terminal, being carried out by a Chinese company, had disrupted the drainage system. This incident follows a previous fire at the old terminal and comes months after it was closed for a major reconstruction project.

FAAN spokesperson Henry Agbebire confirmed the incident, attributing it directly to the construction work affecting the drainage. He assured that airlines were moved to Terminal Two without significant operational impact and that immediate actions are being taken to rectify the drainage issues to prevent recurrence. No flight cancellations were reported.

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There were no cancellations at all. We have taken immediate action to fix that problem to the extent that it doesn’t happen again. You can rest assured of that.