N4.6BN FOR ELECTRICITY AT NIGERIAN AIRPORT

Monday, December 21, 2009

Earlier this year, I shared a video clip of a power outage at Nigeria's Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos, Nigeria. The video, shot by a Nigerian travelling through the airport, showed a complete blackout in the terminal section of the airport.

Well, it seems the federal government aims to address the issue by pumping N4.6BN in electricity investment into the location. That money will specifically be used to purchase generators for the airport and a contract was given to Mantrac Nigeria Ltd. An official of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), explained the need for new generators, saying,

"the existing 2.25MVA generators are over 30 years old and they can no longer cope with the present load demand, with increase in passenger and aircraft traffic... The condition necessitates the upgrading of the existing generators to the 3.88MW which have all the necessary accessories to cope with the increasing load demand at the airport."
Murtala Muhammed International Airport

MY THOUGHTS
It must be pointed out that even if Nigeria had consistent electricity supply, its airports would still need generators to function. Generators are typically installed for backup purposes to ensure safety and security. In the case of MMA, the problem is that these generators have become a primary means of managing and maintaining electricity supply at the airport. Nevertheless, it is better to have the necessary equipment to keep the airport running smoothly. And now that a near crash was thankfully avoided due to the failure of the airport's new radar equipment, one can only hope that authorities will wake up and do things properly and professionally. Hopefully, the rest of the nation will have better electricity supply, and not diesel powered generators or darkness to rely upon.

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Azazel said...

Wow... Some of these common sense things that should be obvious..Just do not get done

Laji D'wayem said...

This is such a waste of money, they should look into alternative solutions than to just buy generators. Govt should look into Solar power if not as a substitute but a supplement to the power situations. Buying generators is a short term solution. Our leaders need to be more creative than this.

N.I.M.M.O said...

Stuff like this make you wonder how it takes people such a long time to see what is obvious.

World over, airports are accorded priority security status but not here. Now that we have finally come to think of it, I hope they go for new, more eco-friendly solutions and not diesel guzzling relics that Heathrow or Schipol just scrapped.

You laugh?

We are Nigerians. Anything can happen.

NaijaBabe said...

Are you serious? Nigeria, when will this change?

יש (Yosh) said...

So sad. When I looked at the subject of the post, I thought perhaps they'd tuck up the power generation for the airport. I thought, well, at least some priorities...until I read it's for generators. Like seriously? Isn't there no shame with even having Aso Rock on such ridiculous budget for backup power? It goes to say a lot about the government's attitude to the whole "LightUpNigeria" and other such power generation initiatives.

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