TheCable

Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos Terminal Two (MMA2), has indicated interest to bid in the ongoing concession of four international airport terminals.

Wale Babalakin, chairman of BASL, said this over the weekend, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

In August, the federal government opened the bidding process for the concession of four airports for 20-30 years.

The airports include Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Murtala Muhammed Internatıonal Airport, Lagos; Malam Amınu Kano Internatıonal Airport, Kano; and Port Harcourt Internatıonal Airport.

By concession, the federal government will turn over ownership of the airports for the private sector to operate and maintain and then revert the control after a specific period.

At the interactive session, Babalakin said the company was qualified because it had operated MMA2 efficiently for 14 years despite challenges.

“On the ongoing process to concession four of the major airports, in more organised climes, they will check the track records of those who have done it well,” Babalakin said.

“In advanced countries, they will offer them a right of first refusal before opening the process. Hence, the BASL has within its limited resources operated the MMA2 for 14 years and has run the terminal well despite challenges it has come to face from the government.”

He added that only Nigerian bidders who had the capacity should be interested to bid for the terminals.

Babalakin called on the federal government to implement the approval granted it to commence regional operations from its terminal to ease passengers’ burden.

He added that airlines were being subjected to incalculable loss while passengers were facing untold hardships by making them transit from MMA2 to the international terminal to connect flights to the West Coast.