The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the ₦712 billion earmarked for the renovation of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, describing it as fiscal recklessness and a glaring case of misplaced priority by the Bola Tinubu administration.
In a statement issued by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of being insensitive to the economic realities confronting Nigerians, stating that the move underscores how disconnected it is from the everyday struggles of citizens.
“It is hard to understand how expending ₦712 billion into renovating an airport that already received significant upgrades in recent years makes fiscal sense in a country where public universities wallow in chronic austerity, where basic medical care has become a luxury that only the rich can afford, and where millions of Nigerians have been thrown into poverty by ill-conceived government policies,” the party said.
The ADC noted that the Lagos airport is already functional and serviceable, arguing that what the aviation sector needs is not another “gold-plated terminal” but proper maintenance, increased operational efficiency, and the development of regional airports to enhance connectivity across the country.
The party recalled that about $500 million was used to build four new international terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt in 2014 through a Chinese loan that is still being repaid. It questioned why a similar amount is now being spent on renovating just one airport.
It also pointed out that a new international terminal at the Murtala Muhammed Airport was commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2022. That facility, built on 56,000 square metres, featured 66 check-in counters and had a projected capacity to process 14 million passengers annually. The ADC highlighted that the airport handled only 6.5 million passengers in 2024 less than half its capacity.
“That the government is moving forward with this new renovation project so soon after a major upgrade suggests one of two possibilities: either the previous APC administration misled Nigerians about the extent of work done at the airport, or the current government is about to spend over ₦700 billion on a facility that already exists,” it stated.
Even more disturbing, the ADC said, is that the project, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on July 31, 2025, has not been backed by the National Assembly and is not captured in any approved national budget.
“How does a government spend close to a trillion naira without legislative appropriation, without public scrutiny, and without the consent of the Nigerian people through their elected representatives?” the party queried.
It criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the project, saying that no cost breakdown or procurement details have been released, nor has there been a national debate on such a significant expenditure.
“Let us be clear: ₦712 billion could instead deliver transformative impact by building over seven fully equipped teaching hospitals, funding free basic education across three geopolitical zones for five years, providing rural electrification to thousands of communities, or rehabilitating thousands of kilometers of federal roads and bridges,” it said.
The ADC called for the immediate suspension of the airport renovation project, a full independent audit of the proposed budget, and a redirection of the funds to initiatives that would directly benefit ordinary Nigerians.
“We warn that continued wasteful spending amid widespread hunger, economic hardship, and rising insecurity will only deepen the trust deficit between citizens and government. A government that has struggled to justify its appetite for loans cannot afford to indulge in this kind of waste,” the party concluded.
