The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has marked a “historic milestone” by resuming direct revenue collection at Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s (MMIA) cargo facilities in Lagos after 15 years.
For the first time in over a decade, FAAN officials from the Directorate of Cargo Development and Services (DCDS) are physically stationed at the cargo release points of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) warehouses, collecting accrued cargo charges in real time.
Lekan Thomas, FAAN’s Director of Cargo Development and Services, stated that the move came after months of extensive stakeholder consultation. According to him, “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, stated that the system was already yielding benefits. “Leakages that hindered revenue collection for years are finally being rectified. “We’re seeing more accountability and transparency,” he explained.
According to FAAN, the plan was supported by a high-level meeting between its Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mrs Olubuni Kuku, and the Nigeria Customs Service’s Comptroller General, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Mrs Kuku stated of the collaboration, “We are devoted to operational efficiency and openness. This milestone demonstrates the value of inter-agency cooperation. We are working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders to ensure that our airports contribute fully to the Nigerian economy.”
The Customs Area Command, commanded by Comptroller T Awe, has also placed its support behind the exercise. Officials stated that the collaboration between FAAN and Customs will “strengthen cargo operations and improve the ease of doing business” at the airport.
Mrs Obiageli Orah, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, described the discovery as a breakthrough that would extend beyond Lagos. “The achievement at MMIA will serve as a model for replication in other airports across the country. It represents FAAN’s ambition of optimising cargo operations and unlocking new sources of wealth for the industry,” she stated.
According to industry operators, the return of direct tax collection after 15 years signals a watershed moment in FAAN’s efforts to sanitise cargo operations and boost revenue performance in the aviation sector.
