Aviation safety: Nigeria’s domestic runway in Murtala Muhammed Airport waterlogged – Sanusi

Captain Ado Sanusi, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, has revealed that the Murtala Muhammed Airport 18L/36R runway for domestic operations is waterlogged, which has caused incidents of aircraft skidding off.

Sanusi, who was also the former Chief Executive of Nigerian Airspace Management, disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, monitored by DAILY POST.

Sanusi was reacting to incidents of aircraft skidding off Nigeria’s airport runways. Barely three days ago, an XEJet Airlines aircraft from Abuja skidded off runway 18L at MMA, Ikeja, Lagos. In April 2024, a Dana Air aircraft with 83 passengers and registration number 5N-BKI, flying from Abuja to Lagos, suffered a similar runway excursion. Although no lives were lost in either incident, the situations have raised serious safety concerns in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

Sanusi, speaking on the development, said the problem has been present for years without efficient repair.

According to him, the airport resurfacing should be made with a crest so that water can drain off effectively.

“We should look at the runway to know if it is waterlogged. I have landed a thousand times at the airport in Lagos. As a pilot, even when I was a young pilot, that 18L (domestic runway) is waterlogged.

“Have we done anything about it? NO. Since when I was flying, we have said, even when I was in public service, that when we are resurfacing the runway, we should make it a crest so that water can drain off. I don’t know whether that has been done yet,” he said.