The federal government has announced plans to demolish the Lagos building of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to the ambition of turning the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to an aerotropolis.

Speaking in Lagos, the minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said the demolision was part of the Ministry of Aviation’s road map for the aviation industry and particularly for Lagos airport to become aerotropolis.

The aerotropolis is a metropolitan area developed in and well beyond the airport premises. It involves the development of an airport-based city, with air travel at its core surrounded by commercial, educational, entertainment, healthcare and hospitality centers.

The aerotropolis concept came about as airports evolved as drivers of business location and urban development in the 21st century in the same way as highways did in the 20th century.

It encompasses aviation-dependent businesses and the commercial services that support them and the multitude of air travelers who pass through the airport annually.

However, the buildings, which were formerly the headquarters of agencies before they were relocated to Abuja, had long been a subject of demolition as workers operating from the office will be relocated until the completion of offices, hotels, cinemas, spars and all other facilities that would turn the airport into a business city.

Sirika, however, stated that, the airport city in Lagos had been designed to link the old airport with the new airport by rail and also to develop all the areas where FAAN, NAMA, and others have those structures to completely give them out and to put a private sector initiative there for offices, hotels, cinemas, among others.

He noted that in the roadmap, all the plans had been developed, all the consultancy services given and all the works had been done, given to the private sector and for entrepreneurs in the aviation industry that are interested.

Speaking on the criticisms that trailed the unveiling of Ethiopian Airlines as a strategic partner in the soon-to-be national carrier, the minister said the federal government decided to set up a private sector-led airline that can close the yawning gaps suffered in the airline business.