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Airport update: Terminal 2 to get Wi-Fi by late 2025 – Keyamo
By Jide Ajia
Passengers at Nigeria’s international airports can look forward to functional Wi-Fi services, at least in Terminal 2, by late 2025.
This assurance came from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during a live interview on Channels Television on Sunday, where he shed light on the long-standing issue of internet connectivity at the nation’s aviation hubs.
For years, the absence of Wi-Fi at Nigerian international airports has been a point of frustration for travellers, a situation highlighted by the interviewer who noted Nigeria’s position among major African, European, and American airports in this regard.
Keyamo attributed the delay to a “number of factors,” primarily an internal dispute between two key agencies under his ministry: the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.
Keyamo confirmed that funds for “major infrastructure” required for Wi-Fi operation have been included in the 2025 budget.
“So we hope before the end of 2025, for the airport that has not been upgraded, which is Terminal 2, we will have functional Wi-Fi in Terminal 2,” he stated.
The minister further explained, “NAMA is now in charge of Wi-Fi. But then, the 2024 budget had been passed. And so there was no way we could implement anything because everything had to be budgetary at that point.
“But in the 2025 budget, if you go and look at it, we have put some money for the major infrastructure. Because you need infrastructure for Wi-Fi to operate, for Wi-Fi to work. You need, you know, certain things you need to put all over the place for Wi-Fi to work. And we have put that in the budget of 2025.
“So we hope before the end of 2025, for the airport that has not been upgraded, which is Terminal 2, we will have functional Wi-Fi in Terminal 2. But for Terminal 1, we cannot do anything there now, because that airport is coming down for a total rebuild.”
Keyamo explained that NAMA argued its mandate covered “all navigation equipment, radio communication, blah, blah, blah, the airport,” thus including Wi-Fi.
With NAMA now officially responsible, the path was cleared for budgetary allocation.
However, passengers hoping for Wi-Fi in Terminal 1 will have to wait significantly longer.
The Minister clarified that no Wi-Fi implementation would occur there due to its impending complete reconstruction.
“But for Terminal 1, we cannot do anything there now, because that airport is coming down for a total rebuild,” Keyamo emphasised.
