The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has justified the directive issued by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, ordering the relocation of FAAN’s headquarters from Abuja to Lagos.

Read also: Strike: FAAN urges intending passengers to make contingency plan

In an internal memo dated January 15, 2024, FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, requested the agency’s Director of Human Resources and Administration to assess the implications of the relocation order. The memo stated, “The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed that the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria should be relocated from Abuja to Lagos.”

FAAN, with a total staff strength of 5,308 as of December 2015, has outlined the distribution among technical (21.72%), non-technical (78.26%), and executive staff (0.02%).

In a separate statement, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, reiterated that relocating the headquarters to Lagos was considered in the best interest of the authority. She clarified that those affected by the decision to move to Abuja had since returned to Lagos due to the lack of office space. The Minister aims to prevent the waste of public resources and stop unnecessary expenses associated with working out of the station.

Orah highlighted the impracticality of the initial move to Abuja when there was no single FAAN building to accommodate the staff. The Minister’s plan includes engaging concessionaires to construct suitable offices for FAAN in both Lagos and Abuja. Until this development materializes, FAAN will maintain its management of the existing building in Lagos, capable of accommodating all directors and senior officials.

Orah emphasized that operational offices in Abuja remain fully functional, with no reduction in operations. The decision, she clarified, is technical and does not impact the ongoing operational structure in both cities.

The move aims to optimize resources, prevent unnecessary expenditure, and ensure that FAAN’s operations align with the majority of its activities, given the significant passenger volume at Lagos airports. As the Minister initiates plans for new offices, FAAN looks toward an efficient and cost-effective operational structure in the two key locations.