Public Outrage Grows as FG Allocates ₦712 Billion to Renovate Already Upgraded Airport Terminal

A storm of criticism is sweeping through Nigeria following the Federal Government’s announcement of a new ₦712 billion budget to renovate the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos just over two years after a ₦106 billion facelift of the same terminal. The Society for the Welfare of Unemployed Youths of Nigeria (SWUYN) has condemned the move in a strongly worded press statement, calling it a collapse of common sense and a betrayal of national priorities.

The SWUYN, a youth advocacy group, expressed outrage over what it describes as fiscal recklessness at a time when over 33% of Nigeria’s labour force remains unemployed, and more than 63% of the population lives in multidimensional poverty. This is not governance with empathy or wisdom, said Comrade Preye Tambou, National President of SWUYN. It is a blatant affront to struggling citizens who wake up daily to rising costs, vanishing jobs, and decaying social support.

The statement pointed to statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics which reveal that youth unemployment remains one of the nation’s gravest challenges. SWUYN highlighted the dire conditions across sectors ranging from the collapse of public education to the shutdown of thousands of small businesses due to lack of electricity, grants, and access to capital. In this context, the organization questions the logic behind spending such an astronomical amount on a terminal that serves a privileged minority.

Many Nigerians recall that the same airport terminal was renovated in 2023 for ₦106 billion. Even with allowances for inflation, SWUYN argues that the more than 570% increase is unjustifiable without a clear public breakdown. There’s been no public engagement, no transparent procurement process, and no explanation just another colossal spending spree signed into law, said Comrade Ogbeide Oluwasegun Clinton, Acting National PRO.

The group emphasized that while government officials regularly attend summits and fly in and out of terminals with taxpayer funded tickets, the youth of Nigeria remain excluded from the very benefits of democracy. Most of us cannot afford transport to work, let alone afford a flight ticket. Yet the government continues to pour billions into infrastructure that benefits only a few, said Comrade David E. Monday, Acting National Media and Publicity Secretary.

In a powerful closing, SWUYN declared its rejection of what it calls a morally bankrupt project. We are not asking for handouts. We are demanding responsibility, accountability, and leadership that puts the people first. Nigeria cannot grow while it spends more on marble floors than on minds, the statement said.

The group urged all concerned citizens to remain vigilant and vocal. We are watching. We are recording. And we will continue to speak truth to power not for attention, but for justice, Tambou concluded.

As the backlash builds, all eyes are now on the Federal Government to provide a transparent justification for the budget or risk further alienation from the country’s restless and increasingly vocal youth population.