The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has recorded what it described as a “historic milestone” with the resumption of direct revenue collection at the cargo terminals of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after 15 years.
For the first time in more than a decade, FAAN officials from the Directorate of Cargo Development and Services (DCDS) are now physically stationed at the cargo release points of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) warehouses to collect accrued cargo charges in real time.
FAAN’s Director of Cargo Development and Services, Lekan Thomas, said the move followed months of intensive stakeholder engagement. He explained that “placing FAAN officers at the point of cargo release is not only a revenue safeguard but also a confidence-building measure for all parties in the cargo value chain.”
The Airport Manager, Olatokubo Arewa, noted the system was already yielding results. “Leakages that plagued revenue collection for years are now being addressed. We are seeing greater accountability and a more transparent process,” he said.
The initiative, according to FAAN, was bolstered by a high-level meeting between its Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mrs Olubuni Kuku, and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Speaking on the collaboration, Mrs Kuku said: “We are committed to operational efficiency and transparency. This milestone is a testament to the power of inter-agency cooperation. Together with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders, we are working to ensure that our airports deliver full value to the Nigerian economy.”
The Customs Area Command, led by Comptroller T Awe, has also thrown its weight behind the exercise. Officials said the synergy between FAAN and Customs would “strengthen cargo operations and improve the ease of doing business” at the airport.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs Obiageli Orah, described the development as a breakthrough that would not be confined to Lagos alone. “The success at MMIA will serve as a model for replication at other airports across the country. It reflects FAAN’s vision to optimise cargo operations and unlock new streams of value for the industry,” she said.
Industry operators say the resumption of direct revenue collection after 15 years marks a turning point in FAAN’s drive to sanitise cargo operations and improve revenue performance in the aviation sector.
(The Nation)
