Fire Incident: MD, NAMA Visit Murtala Muhd Int'l Airport Lagos

MMIA Fire Incident: NAMA MD Engr. Farouk Leads On-Site Assessment of Damage

As part of immediate response efforts following the fire outbreak at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, FNSE, FCIA, MCOREN, NPOM (Danmajen Gwandu/Gamjin Kabi), personally led a high-level management delegation to the scene to assess the extent of damage.

The visit was aimed at evaluating the impact of the incident on Air Traffic Services (ATS), including air traffic control operations, navigation facilities, and other critical airspace management infrastructure under the agency’s responsibility.

According to the Managing Director, he was in a management meeting when he received reports of the fire outbreak. In swift response, he immediately directed the Director of Air Traffic Services, Mr. John Tayo, to proceed to the airport for an initial assessment before subsequently leading a full management inspection of the affected facilities.

Engr. Farouk reiterated that safety remains sacrosanct in airspace management, emphasizing that the agency treats any threat to operational integrity with utmost urgency. The on-site inspection was particularly to verify that vital installations, especially Air-to-Ground (ATG/A2G) communication systems, were not compromised.

He acknowledged the emergency visit by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who also assessed the situation and underscored the need for strengthened emergency response mechanisms across aviation agencies.

The Managing Director expressed profound gratitude that the incident did not result in any loss of life, describing it as a blessing to the aviation community and the nation at large.

Although Air Traffic Services were temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure, NAMA has since activated necessary contingency measures to ensure the swift restoration of operations. Plans are underway to deploy a mobile control tower to enable air traffic controllers resume seamless management of flight operations once the airspace is reopened.

The Managing Director was accompanied on the inspection by the Director of Air Traffic Services, Mr. John Tayo; the Director of Safety, Electronics and Engineering Services (DSEES), Engr. Ijeoma Terese Ihenachor; alongside other General Managers and staff of NAMA at MMIA.

Engr. Farouk assured stakeholders that NAMA, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, remains fully committed to ensuring the safe and smooth resumption of airport operations.

*Danmajen Gwandu Media Team*