The 2007 security report on Nigerian airports released recently has prompted the government to embark on the rehabilitation of runways of its airports some of which have exceeded 22 years of their lifespan.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) Managing Director , Richard Aisuebeogun said on Sunday in Lagos that four of the airports were more than 30 years old.
He said that according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) the lifespan of a runway is 22 years.
“After 20 to 22 years, you begin to notice what we call alligator cracks on the runway.
“This is now a common feature on the runways of most of our older airports because they are as old as you can imagine,’’ Aisuebeogun said.
The FAAN chief noted that the rehabilitation of the Kaduna Airport runway had been completed and inaugurated by the Minister of Aviation, Mr Babatude Omotoba.
“The runway of the Margaret Ekpo Airport in Calabar had been rehabilitated, while contractors would soon move into the Maiduguri Airport to start work,’’ he said.
Aisuebeogun said that the Federal Government had approved the construction of a second runway for the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.
Source African Press Agency
