Barr Festus Keyamo, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, is expected in Lagos to inspect the damage caused by the Monday afternoon fire at MMIA, Ikeja LoS
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr Festus Keyamo, has scheduled an emergency inspection tour to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, 24th of February 2026.
The tour is to ascertain the level of damage to the terminal building as a result of the fire accident yesterday and to appreciate the impeccable emergency response deployed by the managers of the terminal, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director of FAAN, while enumerating various emergency activities that culminated in the skilful rescue and the professional approach of combating the raging inferno, indicated that no stone was left unturned by the efficient management of the afternoon fire at the 47-year-old facility.
She said an arrangement has been concluded for a mobile tower, to enable air traffic controllers manage air traffic that will ensue as soon as the airspace is opened.
Kuku said three international airlines scheduled to land during the period the fire was raging were diverted out of Lagos. British Airways, she said, was diverted to Abuja while Lufthansa and Emirates were diverted to the neighbouring Malabo.
The award-winning Managing Director said the airport management would do everything to reduce downtime for the airlines as all operations have been moved to the terminal two of the international airport.
And in accordance with Kuku’s assurances to drastically curtailed downtime, Ethiopian Airline resumed flight operations out of Lagos at 19.26 hours on Monday evening.
WHEREFORE AND WHERETO OF THE NOON FIRE
Olubunmi Kuku said an unconfirmed preliminary finding fingered the second floor as where the fire started. She explained that the Fire Service indicated that the fire originated from the server room which is located on the first floor of Terminal 1.
She said as at the evening of Monday, 23rd February, the fire within the departure hall had been largely controlled, while responders closely monitored and prevented its spread to adjoining sections of the terminal.
Kuku revealed that the sixth floor of the terminal building had been completely condoned off in order to affectively support ongoing emergency operations and risk mitigation.
RESCUE AND RECOVERY
Kuku also revealed that “Emergency response operations remain active, with coordinated firefighting, rescue, and safety teams continuing containment and recovery efforts.
She narrated further, “A crane was successfully deployed to support rescue operations at the Control Tower, and all fourteen (14) persons initially trapped have been safely rescued and fully evacuated from the facility”.
She said “A total of six (6) casualties — comprising three males and three females — were recorded, all of whom are in stable condition. One affected individual has been transferred to the FAAN Headquarters Hospital for further medical evaluation and remains stable” Kuku said.
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