Lagos Airport Reopens After Flooding Disrupts Flight Operations

Flight operations have fully resumed at the temporary international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos after flooding caused by heavy rainfall temporarily disrupted activities at the facility.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed that normal operations have been restored following emergency efforts to contain the flooding and resolve the drainage problem.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, explained that the flooding resulted from drainage disruptions caused by ongoing construction work around the airport.

According to him, the incident was quickly brought under control, and passenger safety was never at risk.

“The flooding was localised and linked to ongoing construction activities affecting drainage,” Agbebire said.

“The situation was promptly managed through established operational contingency measures. No flights were cancelled, and passenger safety was never compromised,” he added.

The flooding occurred after heavy rainfall swept across Lagos on Sunday, inundating several parts of the city and affecting sections of the airport’s temporary international terminal.

As a precaution, FAAN temporarily suspended operations at the affected terminal and relocated several international airlines, including Air France-KLM, Ethiopian Airlines and Fly Gabon, to Terminal Two while engineers worked to clear the floodwater and restore normal operations.

Agbebire noted that the flooding was significant enough to interrupt airport activities, forcing the temporary relocation of airlines as technical teams and contractors addressed the drainage challenge.

“It was enough to disturb operations, and water flowed into the terminal. That was why the airlines affected were moved to Terminal Two while our technical team and the contractor mitigated the issue,” he explained.

Following the successful completion of the emergency response, all affected airlines have now returned to the temporary international terminal, with flight operations proceeding as scheduled.

FAAN also announced that it has begun implementing long-term measures to improve the airport’s drainage system in a bid to prevent similar incidents during the ongoing rainy season.

“We have commenced corrective measures to strengthen drainage and prevent a recurrence. We will continue to monitor developments, and it is something we will give priority to during this rainy season,” Agbebire stated.

The authority reassured passengers and airline operators of its commitment to maintaining safe and efficient airport operations despite the challenges posed by seasonal rainfall and ongoing infrastructure projects.