By John Umeh
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced the resumption of direct revenue collection at the cargo terminals of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, marking the end of a 15-year break.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, through the authority’s official X handle.
According to the statement, officials from the Directorate of Cargo Development and Services have now been deployed to the cargo release points of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) warehouses to supervise the real-time collection of accrued cargo charges.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has recorded a landmark achievement with the successful resumption of direct revenue collection at the cargo terminals of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after a 15-year hiatus. For the first time in over a decade, FAAN officials are now stationed at the cargo release points of NAHCO and SAHCO warehouses to oversee real-time collection of accrued cargo charges,” the statement read.
FAAN explained that the initiative is being carried out in close synergy with the PTC Customs Area Command, under the leadership of Comptroller T. Awe, and has already begun to plug revenue leakages and ensure greater accountability across the air cargo value chain.
The authority described the move as a milestone in operational efficiency and transparency, stressing that it reflects its renewed commitment to boosting revenue performance and strengthening inter-agency collaboration in the aviation sector.
FAAN further noted that the breakthrough at MMIA would serve as a model for replication at other airports across the country as part of its vision to optimise cargo operations and unlock new value streams for the industry.
Industry observers believe the decision will not only improve the ease of doing business at Nigeria’s busiest airport but also enhance government revenue generation at a time when the aviation sector is under pressure to deliver higher efficiency and accountability.
