Admin
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed the reason behind the persistent absence of Wi-Fi services at Nigerian international airports, attributing the delay to a prolonged dispute between two agencies of the ministry.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Keyamo disclosed that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had been locked in a dispute over who should be responsible for providing Wi-Fi facilities.
According to the minister, NAMA argued that its statutory role of managing navigation equipment, radio, and communication systems also covered the provision of Wi-Fi at airports.
NAMA vs FAAN Argument Over Who Should Handle Wi-Fi
“There is an agency called NAMA, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, and they said, ‘Well, if you look at the law of NAMA, it says NAMA is in charge of all navigation equipment, radio, communication, and all.’ So NAMA felt it’s our responsibility to take care of Wi-Fi,” Keyamo explained.
On the other hand, FAAN maintained that Wi-Fi falls under airport infrastructure, which legally falls within its purview.
“Another of my agencies, FAAN, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, was arguing that it is part of the infrastructure at the airport. And FAAN, by law, is imbued with the power to take care of all infrastructure at the airport. So they said Wi-Fi is part of infrastructure,” the minister added.
Resolution Came Too Late for 2024 Budget
According to Keyamo, the argument dragged on until late 2023, when he intervened and directed that FAAN should back out, leaving NAMA fully responsible for Wi-Fi deployment.
However, because the resolution came after the passage of the 2024 Budget, funds could not be allocated for the project during the current fiscal year.
“By the time we resolved it, the budget for 2024 had already passed. So, it couldn’t be implemented then,” Keyamo noted.
Wi-Fi Project Included in 2025 Budget
The minister assured that the Wi-Fi project has now been captured in the 2025 budget, with plans to begin implementation by the end of the year.
“We have made provisions for it in the 2025 budget, and by the end of 2025, there will be a functional Wi-Fi at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport,” Keyamo stated.
Keyamo further disclosed that the government is exploring a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the Wi-Fi service across Nigerian airports.
“We are working on a PPP model that will guarantee not just the deployment of Wi-Fi but its proper maintenance and expansion to other terminals,” he assured.
The announcement comes amid growing criticism from travellers who have expressed frustration over the lack of internet connectivity at major international airports across Nigeria.
The post Why Nigerian Airports Do Not Have Wi-Fi – Tinubu’s Minister, Keyamo Explains appeared first on Naija News.
