IS THERE REALY NEED FOR LEKKI-EPE AIRPORT?

Congratulations to HE, Gov. Sanwo-Olu. However, I believe this project should be thoroughly reviewed before been funded to ensure that the reasons for the creation of new airport TICK ALL the essential boxes and to avoid squandering money and resources.
It will be objective if Lagos state govt can ignore the contractors' or investors' justifications and investigate closely to justify the true need for it.

Let me briefly tell you about an abandoned airport in Spain, Ciudad Real Central Airport, Madrid (capacity - 5 million pax/per).

Spain is one of the prime travel destinations in Europe and that was a key consideration when the idea for the Ciudad Real Central Airport was conceived.

It was predicted to be the go-to destination for both domestic and international visitors.

There was already a major airport in Spain, Madrid-Barajas Airport (capacity of 70 million passengers per year), and the goal of the new airport was to provide an alternative to the increasingly overcrowded main airport in Madrid.
They initiated the airport project, which cost €1.1billion and was completed and commissioned in 2009. In fact, the airport has one of the longest runways in Europe (within the top 5).

The project came to a standstill in 2012, went on receivership in 2013 and in 2019, it was sold for $12,000

Why?
1. The location - it is 200 kilometres from Madrid and has no train station
2. Passengers prefer Barajas airport for its conveniences
3. The expansion of Madrid-Barajas airport was completed in the same period
4. It commenced operations during Spain's financial crisis when passenger traffic was minimal.

MMIA and MMA 1&2 have the capacity to serve roughly 7.5m+ & 6.5m passengers per year, respectively.

Due to the distance, many users of MMI airport come from all around the SW, SE, and some of the NC states (compared to Abuja & PH). MMIA automatically serves the majority of Nigerian international passengers.
According to the FAAN Passenger Traffic Statistics Report for 2021, MMIA carried 1,645,409 passengers, whereas MMA1&2 carried 4,447,832 passengers.


With the aforementioned stats and other considerations, the creation of Lekki - Epe Airport will result in:

1. The 7.5 million passengers (if fully utilized) will be shared between the two airports, in which case MMIA airport revenue will drop significantly.

2. Lekki - Epe airport will be largely used by Lagos islanders due to the short distance to their various destinations and will undoubtedly be patronized sparingly by non-island passengers.
The creation of the Lekki - Epe airport will be fully justified by providing answers to the following questions:

1. What is the percentage of Lagos Island passengers among the 7.5 million passengers that use MMIA (if fully utilised)?

2. What is the projected number of international passengers in Lagos over the next five years?

3. Can the total number of passengers support the seamless operation (finances) of the proposed airport (using 2021 pax stats)?

4. What will happen to MMIA if the number of passengers using it decreases in terms of revenue?

5. Majority of state (in the world) with two airport has the following reasons;
a) to reduce congestion in the existing airport,
b) unable to expand the existing airport
c) for specific operation (such as domestic use, int’l or cargo use)

Which of the three categories best justifies Lekki airport?

6. Can the Nigerian economy sustain it (having known that the aviation industry is having issues due to Jet A1 and dollar exchange)?

7. Is MMIA doing well (financially) with the low passenger turnout for previous years (2021 & 2020)?
If this questions can be answered sincerely (with substantial facts), we can actually deduce if it is NEEDED or NOT.

It's meant to support the Refinery and deep sea port in that axis.

Besides, wealthy folks around there won't need to cross the 3rd Mainland bridge anymore to travel out.

Bankowner:
It's meant to support the Refinery and deep dea port in that axis.

Besides, wealthy folks around there won't need to cross the 3rd Mainland bridge anymore to travel out.

Don't be surprised when people start complaining of traffic from Lekki airport to their homes

The convoy that would wait for a single passenger ..



Passengers would prefer using MMA

People from other states would use it as well ..

Travellers from Ogun Odo and Edo state wouid use it ..

They wouid rather take the Ijebu ode -Epe link road and get to the airport once it's operational than been stuck on the road ..

Traffic from Ijebu ode to Lagos enroute Lagos- Benin / Lagos- Ibadan can be unpredictable .

From ur points only time wouid tell ..

Nice points but personally I think the end goal is to divide Lagos into two states. The lagoon & Lagos state.