The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has unveiled the Joint User Hydrant Installation 2 (JUHI-2) with a storage capacity of 150 million litres of Jet A1 fuel.
The facility is described as the largest airside jet fuel depot in Nigeria, having the capability of delivering a minimum of 150 million litres of ATK supplies monthly to airlines, implying that it can deliver 20 per cent of the current nation’s annual sales volume in a month.
The depot is a collaborative project by a consortium of companies, including Eterna Plc, Masters Energy Oil & Gas, Techno Oil & Gas, Rahamaniyya Oil & Gas, Ibafon Oil, Quest Oil Group, and First Deep Water Limited.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony held at the JUHI-2 ventures limited premises, Ikeja in Lagos on Thursday, Keyamo lauded the project, saying it has brought Nigeria global relevance and recognition.
He noted that the facility would help curb the issue of flight delays and flight cancellations which most times had been a result of a lack of Jet A1 fuel.
According to the minister, the depot was strategically well positioned as it is close to both the local and international airports, which is an international requirement.
He said, “This facility is strategic and supportive to the aviation ecosystem in Nigeria. We normally experience a lot of flight cancellations, and flight delays and in some cases, it is attributed to lack of Jet A1 fuel.
“It is also an international requirement. You have just made us globally relevant because it requires that this kind of facility should not be far away from all major airports in the world.
“It is also a requirement for hajj operations. Before any airport is approved for hajj operations, they ensure that such facilities are very close to the airport. In so many ways this is a global requirement and I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for this massive infrastructural investment to support the aviation ecosystem in Nigeria.”
Disclosing the recent feats in the aviation sector, the minister said Nigeria has been removed from the watchlist of non-compliant countries, having scaled 75.5 per cent in aircraft financing from 70.5 per cent.
He stated that airlines in Nigeria can now access aircraft on dry leases all over the world.