The federal government has announced that the electronic gates (e-gates) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja are nearly ready for inauguration.
According to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, the terminal is almost 100 percent complete and set for commissioning.
“The Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja is already 100 percent complete but this is just one terminal of about eight gates. This is delivered and ready for commissioning,” Tunji-Ojo said after inspecting the terminal on Friday.
He explained that the current focus is on the user acceptance test (UAT), the final stage before full completion. “Now you see that the gates have been installed.
“What they are doing now is called the user acceptance test (UAT) which is the last stage and by Monday morning, this wing will have been completed 100 percent,” he added.
The minister detailed the phased completion strategy to minimize disruption for passengers. “From here, we will move the D Wing which has four gates because we can’t block the three entrances at the same time. We can’t work it simultaneously because of the ease of passengers. So, we have to be taking one after the other,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo assured that the D Wing would be completed by next weekend, followed by the E Wing within the next three weeks, completing all 21 gates at the Lagos airport.
Further developments are planned for airports in Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, each with four gates, which will be attended to more quickly due to their smaller scale.
Highlighting the importance of these projects, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the enhancement of national security and the improvement of passenger convenience. “This is connected to all the databases all over the world. We are making life easier for Nigeria and at the same time securing the country,” he said.
He also pointed out the benefits for business and national pride, drawing comparisons with the ease of travel experienced by citizens in countries like the United States. “It also helps with the perception of the government.
“When you travel to New York and you get to JFK, as a foreigner, you are in the queue.
The American carries his passport and goes in easily. That gives him lots of confidence that he is in his country,” Tunji-Ojo remarked.
The minister noted that the projects are funded through a public-private partnership (PPP) to ensure the efficient deployment of border control management solutions.
