A fire has broken out at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, prompting an emergency response from airport firefighters as authorities worked to contain the blaze and prevent further disruption at Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the incident stating that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) had been immediately deployed after the fire was detected at the terminal. Although officials have yet to determine the cause of the incident, authorities have disclosed that there were no reports of injuries or fatalities as emergency teams continued battling the flames.
The incident marks the latest in a series of fire emergencies at the country’s principal international gateway, raising renewed concerns about infrastructure resilience and fire safety at one of West Africa’s busiest airports.
In a statement released through its official communication channels, FAAN assured the public that emergency protocols had been activated immediately after the outbreak.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to inform the public that a fire incident has occurred at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
“The FAAN Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) is currently responding to the incident and working diligently to contain the situation.”
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
Airport fire crews were seen responding rapidly to the emergency as efforts focused on preventing the flames from spreading to other sections of the terminal and ensuring the safety of passengers, airport workers and operational facilities.
FAAN added the situation remained under active management and reassured the public that there had been no confirmed casualties.
Although officials did not immediately indicate whether flight schedules had been affected, emergency incidents involving airport terminals often require heightened safety measures that can temporarily disrupt passenger movement and operational activities while responders secure affected areas.
The cause of the fire had not been disclosed as of the time of reporting. Investigators are expected to examine the affected section of the terminal after the blaze is fully extinguished to determine what triggered the incident and whether any critical airport infrastructure sustained damage.
The latest emergency has once again placed attention on safety systems at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, a major aviation gateway serving millions of passengers annually and connecting Nigeria with destinations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and beyond.
Lagos Airport Rocked by Fresh Blaze After Earlier Fire
The fire outbreak comes just months after a major blaze struck Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, causing significant disruption to aviation operations and damaging critical communications infrastructure used to manage aircraft movements.
The February incident affected facilities operated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), including vital air-to-ground communication systems relied upon by air traffic controllers to coordinate flights arriving at and departing from Lagos.
At the time, NAMA Managing Director Farouk Umar described the incident as a serious setback for aviation operations, revealing that emergency contingency measures had to be activated to maintain safe flight services.
“The truth of the matter is that with what I have seen, we have a lot to do when we are out of the situation. It is going to be very difficult for me to tell the magnitude of the loss; it will take us a while to do so.”
Farouk Umar
He also disclosed that the fire had completely knocked out the agency’s air-to-ground communication capability, forcing authorities to deploy backup equipment from other locations while inbound flights were temporarily suspended during the emergency.
The February blaze occurred at the airport’s older terminal, which was undergoing extensive multibillion-naira renovation works aimed at modernising one of Nigeria’s oldest aviation facilities.
The airport has experienced other fire-related incidents in recent years. In September 2023, smoke was reported at the international wing of Terminal 1 after what FAAN later identified as a suspected electrical spark originating from the baggage hall ceiling. Emergency responders contained that incident before it escalated into a larger disaster.
The recurrence of fire incidents at different sections of the airport is likely to intensify calls for comprehensive inspections of electrical installations, fire prevention systems and emergency response infrastructure across the facility.
As emergency crews continued working at Terminal 2 on Sunday, authorities remained focused on fully containing the blaze before beginning a formal investigation into its origin.
FAAN has indicated that further information will be released as assessments continue, including details on the extent of any structural damage and whether airport operations will experience lasting disruptions.
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