Nigeria proposes to close Abuja Airport for runway repairs
Nigeria's government has proposed closing the airport in its capital, Abuja, for six weeks to repair runways that some airlines have described as dangerous.
Jan 3, 2017: Nigeria's government has proposed closing the airport in its capital, Abuja, for six weeks to repair runways that some airlines have described as dangerous.
The government wants to close Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the country's second busiest, for most of February and March. Work by German construction company Julius Berger will continue after the airport reopens and is expected to take six months.
Flights would be diverted for six weeks to Kaduna city, which is 250 kilometers from Abuja on a road frequented by bandits.
A government statement stated that officials will meet stakeholders on January 5 realising the "high level of discomfort and inconvenience" the closure of one of West Africa's busiest airports will cause.