- An electrical spark caused smoke inside an operational office at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 3 around 2:05 pm
- The incident led to a temporary shutdown of the affected section of the terminal as passengers and staff experienced panic before emergency responders intervened
- The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confirmed the incident and assured the public of swift containment
Operations at Murtala Muhammed International Airport were briefly disrupted on Tuesday, March 31, after an electrical spark triggered smoke inside one of the airport’s operational offices, forcing authorities to temporarily shut down part of the terminal.
The incident occurred at the airport’s temporary Terminal 3 facility around 2:05 pm, sparking panic among passengers and airport staff before emergency responders swiftly intervened to stabilise the situation.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
According to the statement, “The Temporary Terminal of MMIA was briefly shut down following an electrical spark in an operational office, which resulted in smoke emission at about 14:05 hours.”
To reduce disruption, airport authorities quickly rerouted passengers scheduled to depart from the affected terminal.
“All flights that currently operate from Terminal 3 have been diverted to Terminal 2, passengers are hereby advised accordingly,” the statement added.
Despite the initial panic, FAAN reassured travellers and stakeholders that the situation had been brought under control without escalation.
“The situation is under control, as personnel of the Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Services promptly responded and contained the incident,” the statement noted.
As of the time of filing this report, engineers were carrying out electrical maintenance at the affected terminal to restore full operations and ensure system safety before reopening.
“Electrical maintenance is currently ongoing to ensure that all electrical systems are functioning optimally ahead of the Terminal’s reopening,” the authorities stated.
Although no injuries or casualties were recorded, the incident has once again raised concerns over recurring electrical faults at the airport.
The latest disruption adds to a pattern of power-related challenges at the Lagos aviation hub, which has faced intermittent outages in recent years.
In 2024, a major blackout caused widespread delays and disrupted flight schedules, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.
More recently, in February 2026, the Terminal 1 wing experienced another outage shortly before a fire incident affected parts of the facility.