1st July, 2026 | News

Fresh Allegations Emerge Over Worker Deaths, Safety Lapses at CCECC Project in Lagos Airport

Fresh allegations have emerged over working conditions at the ongoing China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) project at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, with workers and airport stakeholders claiming a pattern of worker fatalities, unsafe working conditions and inadequate regulatory oversight.

According to multiple sources familiar with activities at the construction site, another worker reportedly died on Monday, June 29, just days after a separate labourer allegedly lost his life in an earlier incident.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the worker who died on Monday was earning a daily wage of ₦6,000.

Workers and airport stakeholders also alleged that another labourer was electrocuted on Friday, June 26, while carrying out construction work inside International Terminal 2 of the airport.

According to the sources, officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) witnessed the incident. They further claimed that the electrocution occurred after Chinese nationals working for CCECC allegedly connected electricity from the terminal without notifying workers or the relevant airport authorities.

The stakeholders maintained that there was no approved power supply in the section of the construction site where the workers were operating, describing the fatal incident as preventable.

Several workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described what they alleged were unsafe working conditions across the project.

“We just die here and they move us out quietly. It’s like nobody sees us, but the airport is busy all day and the government that should hold CCECC accountable is doing nothing,” one worker alleged.

Another major concern raised by workers was the poor lighting at the construction site during night operations.

They alleged that large sections of the site remain poorly illuminated after dark, forcing labourers to work under dangerous conditions with limited visibility. According to them, the inadequate lighting significantly increases the risk of accidents involving heavy machinery, electrical installations, moving vehicles and work at elevated heights.

Video footage reviewed by SaharaReporters reportedly showed parts of the construction site operating at night with limited lighting. However, the publication noted that it could not independently verify whether the footage reflected conditions across the entire project or all night shifts.

Despite this, workers insisted that poor lighting has become a persistent safety concern.

“Sometimes, you can barely see where you’re working. We continue because if you don’t work, you don’t get paid,” another worker said.

Sources further alleged that after the fatal incident on June 29, the deceased worker’s body was quietly removed from the construction site without the death being formally reported through the appropriate airport channels.

A stakeholder familiar with activities at the airport alleged that the incident was not isolated, claiming that at least five worker deaths linked to the ongoing construction project were never officially reported to FAAN.

Multiple airport sources also claimed that the Nigeria Police Force Airport Command, the Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies operating within the airport, and the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development were not formally notified of several of the reported fatalities.

According to the sources, the alleged failure to notify relevant authorities has left key agencies unaware of the full extent of worker deaths occurring at the construction site.

The stakeholder also questioned the level of oversight on the project, noting that despite its location within one of Nigeria’s busiest and most security-sensitive aviation facilities, there appeared to be inadequate coordination among airport safety, security and emergency response agencies.

Workers and stakeholders further alleged that theft of construction materials and equipment has become common at the site, raising additional concerns about security and project supervision.

“When things are not getting stolen, workers are dying,” one source alleged.

The allegations surrounding CCECC’s operations have raised broader concerns about workplace safety, regulatory compliance and incident reporting procedures at the airport.

If substantiated, the claims—including alleged unauthorised power connections, failure to report worker deaths and inadequate safety measures—could point to significant lapses in compliance with operational and safety standards expected on a major infrastructure project.

The allegations also place renewed scrutiny on FAAN’s oversight of the airport remodelling project, with stakeholders calling for a thorough investigation into the reported incidents and the enforcement of workplace safety regulations.

As of the time of filing this report, neither CCECC nor FAAN had publicly responded to the allegations.