Panic and confusion erupted at the international wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Tuesday night after a damaged electric cable caused a sudden blackout, plunging parts of the terminal into darkness.
The outage occurred during peak travel hours, disrupting passenger check-in processes and leaving many stranded as airline staff and airport officials struggled to manage the situation.
A source at the airport described the scene as chaotic. “There was confusion everywhere. People didn’t know what was happening, and the lines just stopped moving,” the source said.
As of 9:00 pm, efforts were still ongoing to restore normal operations, with technical teams working urgently to fix the fault and prevent further disruption.
Another source revealed that the incident may have been linked to maintenance work at Terminal 2, allegedly carried out by a Chinese company, which may have accidentally damaged a critical power cable.
The latest disruption adds to a series of power-related challenges at the airport. In 2024, a similar blackout caused widespread delays and affected flight schedules, frustrating passengers.
More recently, in February 2026, the Terminal 1 wing experienced another outage shortly before a fire incident impacted part of the facility, further raising concerns about infrastructure reliability.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had previously attributed such disruptions to faults during power changeover processes. The agency explained that technical teams are typically deployed immediately to restore electricity by switching to backup systems.
In a past statement, FAAN apologised to passengers and stakeholders for the inconvenience caused, assuring that engineers worked swiftly to stabilise power supply and resume operations.
Meanwhile, FAAN spokesperson Henry Agbebire confirmed that power was eventually restored at the aerodrome around 9:49 pm.
He explained that the outage primarily affected the baggage carousel, leading to delays in luggage handling. “Power has now been restored,” he said, adding that normal services had resumed following confirmation from the airport manager.
The incident has once again highlighted the need for improved infrastructure and reliable power systems at Nigeria’s busiest international gateway.
