The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has upgraded security infrastructure at Nigeria’s airports, especially international airports in line with Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPS), which are technical specifications adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
To this end, the agency has replaced most of the security equipment with modern, state-of-the-art alternatives at the most critical areas of the airports, especially the international airports and it has also trained Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel to effectively man the new equipment.
FAAN has also taken significant action to finally remove the notorious table where some security operatives stay at departures to physically search and allegedly extort passengers by providing alternative system, whereby security officials at the terminals can monitor passengers’ luggage through computer systems.
The new security equipment has the ability to single out all the prohibited items, including drugs, currencies, medicines and others simultaneously, thus making physical search of the luggage unnecessary, except those specially identified by the new system.
FAAN’s Director of Aviation Security Services, (DASS), Afegbai Albert Igbafe, spoke to selected aviation writers who toured the terminal facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, at the weekend and said that FAAN has comprehensively replaced most of the security equipment at the strategic areas of the passenger and cargo service terminals and done away with the obsolete security machines in line with ICAO regulations and requests of some of the international airlines.
One of the new security equipment is the Orion 927DX machine acquired by FAAN and installed at the entrance of the new international terminal of the Lagos airport.
The equipment has the capacity to exhibit images in the Classic 4-colour and the new proprietary Spectrum 4-color (SP4) option providing superior image, allowing improved security by quick and accurate identification of threats and enhances quick passenger facilitation.
The machines are also designed to detect a wide range of explosives and narcotics respectively in real time during the scanning process by marking a potential threat on the X-ray image.
Igbafe said by the time FAAN finished installing all the screening machines and the monitors, each security agency would have its own monitors and the tables would be put away permanently.
“The tables you see will be a thing of the past, you will not see any table here. There will be no physical contact, because what we are also doing is that when we fix those monitors and the machines dictate unaccepted objects, the concerned officials will take the passenger and his or her baggage to designated areas for physical checks.
“The designated areas will also have CCTV cameras. This is to ensure the passengers are not being exploited. When the machines dictate something, the Aviation Security (AVSEC) call the relevant agencies such as National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Customs, Quarantine, amongst others to follow up,” Igbafe explained.
He further explained that FAAN is now extending the machines to include six different monitors for the six security agencies present at the airport, so that officials could sit and monitor the bags on their screens.
“Custom will have their screen. The Quarantine will have their screen and others will also have theirs. So, everybody will sit down while the bags go through the machines,” he said.
Speaking on AVSEC’s collaboration with the NDLEA in terms of drug investigation, he said, “Before we bought the new machines, our machines were not detecting some drugs but with the new machines, we will start to train some of the security agencies, like the NDLEA, the DSS, the immigration and the quarantine.
Also speaking during the tour, Head of Department, ICT, at MMIA, Lagos, Chima Oge, said the new Orion 927DX machine has features that helps with identification of organic materials accurately and quickly either in range mode which highlights the areas based on range selected by the operator, and/or in Interactive mode which provides the operator the option to display the areas based on the value of the pixel.
Over the years, air travelers and industry stakeholders have expressed concerns that the table where security operatives, including NDLEA, Quarantine, Nigeria Customs Service officials conduct secondary checks after baggage have been screened by scanning machines only constitutes delays and amounts to unnecessary multiple checks at the airport.
Few years ago, the federal government in promotion of ease of doing business removed the search table, but the security operatives surreptitiously brought it back, but FAAN has decided to use technology to permanently do away with the table.
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
Questioning FAAN’s Security Upgrade Claims: Why Nigeria Must Embrace Eden & McWhit Global’s No-Cost Proposal to Achieve ICAO Compliance
By HeadlineNews.News Investigative Desk
Date: April 2025
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) recently announced that it has successfully upgraded the security architecture of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, claiming full compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. However, an independent investigation reveals a glaring disparity between FAAN’s declaration and the on-ground reality.
According to security analysts, aviation professionals, and credible sources familiar with airport operations, the so-called upgrade remains incomplete, fragmented, and lacks the integrated digitalization required by ICAO to ensure the safety, efficiency, and reputation of international aviation hubs.
ICAO Requirements vs Reality at MMIA
ICAO mandates a fully integrated and digitalized security ecosystem across all critical airport infrastructure. These standards include:
Biometric access controls for restricted areas
AI-driven surveillance and monitoring systems
Passenger and cargo screening with automated threat detection
Centralized command and control centers
Digital audit trails and real-time incident response
As of Q2 2025, none of these systems have been holistically implemented at MMIA. Instead, sources indicate that upgrades are being handled piecemeal — deploying outdated analog systems alongside sporadic manual checks and limited CCTV installations without central coordination. This patchwork approach fails to create a robust security profile, placing Nigeria’s premier airport behind even regional counterparts like Kotoka International Airport in Ghana or Bole International Airport in Ethiopia.
The Eden & McWhit Global Proposal: A No-Cost Solution Ignored
One of the most damning aspects of this investigation is the government’s apparent refusal to engage Eden & McWhit Global — a reputable firm with international aviation security credentials — which has offered to implement a world-class, fully digital security upgrade at MMIA at zero cost to the Federal Government.
The proposal includes:
Deployment of cutting-edge AI and IoT-enabled surveillance
Full biometric access and passenger profiling
End-to-end cargo scanning and monitoring
Real-time data sharing with global security networks
Eden & McWhit’s offer comes with financing already secured and tested technologies that meet ICAO Tier-1 airport certification benchmarks. Yet, despite repeated engagements, government agencies have failed to adopt the offer — allegedly due to internal resistance fueled by entrenched corruption and kickback expectations.
Corruption: A Barrier to National Progress
According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (2024), Nigeria ranks 145 out of 180 countries, with systemic corruption cited as a major barrier to infrastructure development. Multiple sources suggest that resistance to Eden & McWhit’s proposal is due to the absence of avenues for rent-seeking and patronage within the transparent, internationally monitored process the firm demands.
Rejecting such a comprehensive offer at no financial burden is not just economically irresponsible; it is a national security risk.
The Cost of Non-Compliance
Failing to meet ICAO standards risks Nigeria’s MMIA being flagged in international travel advisories, reduced aviation insurance ratings, and potential downgrading by global airlines and regulators. This could severely affect:
International tourism
Investment inflows
Diaspora travel confidence
Nigeria’s diplomatic standing
In contrast, compliance would put Nigeria in the elite league of global aviation hubs — potentially attracting $2.5 billion in increased tourism and investment annually, according to a 2023 ICAO forecast on compliant airport economies.
Conclusion: Time for Presidential Intervention
With Nigeria seeking global relevance and security credibility, the Presidency must intervene to break this bureaucratic logjam. The Eden & McWhit Global proposal is not just a generous offer; it is a strategic opportunity for national transformation.
The cost of a modern fully digitalised security architecture for an international airport is high and sustaining it also high with maintenance and replacement of equipment every two years. This is why a proposal to ensure this is achieved by outsourcing and no cost to Government is the best option for developing countries like Nigeria.
MMIA must move from fragmented analog systems to a secure, smart, digital airport aligned with global standards. HeadlineNews.News urges the Federal Government to:
Publicly audit FAAN’s current upgrades
Open transparent dialogue with Eden & McWhit Global
Commit to achieving ICAO Gold Tier Certification before the 2026 Global Aviation Safety Audit
Nigeria must not let corruption and complacency block its path to progress. A secure airport is a secure nation.
Headlinenews.news Special Report.
ICAO SECURITY STANDARDS VS. MMIA COMPLIANCE
1. ICAO Annex 17, Chapter 4.4 – Access Control
ICAO Requirement: Biometric and electronic control of access to restricted areas
MMIA Status: Manual ID checks and physical guards
Compliance Gap: Not compliant
2. ICAO Annex 17, Chapter 4.5 – Surveillance
ICAO Requirement: Real-time digital CCTV and AI monitoring
MMIA Status: Limited, analog surveillance with unlinked cameras
Compliance Gap: Major deficiency
3. ICAO Annex 17, Chapter 5.2 – Screening of Persons/Items
ICAO Requirement: Use of automated, AI-enhanced screening equipment
MMIA Status: Outdated X-ray scanners and manual screening
Compliance Gap: Below ICAO threshold
4. ICAO Annex 17, Chapter 3.1 – Airport Security Programme
ICAO Requirement: Coordinated national security system with intelligence and digital integration
MMIA Status: Fragmented, no unified digital control center
Compliance Gap: Incomplete
5. ICAO Annex 17, Chapter 1.2 – Risk-Based Approach
ICAO Requirement: Threat assessment using digital analytics and cybersecurity
MMIA Status: No cyber-integrated threat detection
Compliance Gap: Non-existent cyber security architecture
COMPARATIVE AIRPORT SECURITY STATISTICS
MMIA – Lagos, Nigeria
Passengers (2023): ~8.2 million
Surveillance: ~800 analog cameras, unlinked
Biometric Use: Partial (manual ID checks)
AI/Smart Tech: None
Heathrow Terminal 5 – UK
Passengers: 72.3 million
Surveillance: Over 6,000 smart HD cameras with facial recognition
Biometric Use: Full
AI/Smart Tech: Yes, centralized command
Amsterdam Schiphol – Netherlands
Passengers: 56 million
Surveillance: Fully AI-integrated surveillance system
Biometric Use: Full
AI/Smart Tech: Yes
Kigali International (New Terminal) – Rwanda
Passengers: ~2.1 million (8M projected)
Surveillance: Full coverage, real-time monitoring
Biometric Use: Full
AI/Smart Tech: Yes, ICAO-certified
Headlinenews.news Special Reporting Team.
