"When will equal financial contribution be provided to the Muslim faithful?" Commentator Mahdi Shehu calls out Nigerian government over N25bn airport chapel project

Political commentator, Mahdi Shehu has accused the Federal Government of bias over the flag-off of a N25 billion chapel project at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. 

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In a post shared on X on Wednesday night, April 29, Shehu reacted to the report that the Federal Government and the Christian Association of Nigeria have commenced construction of the chapel project. 
 

Shehu asked when a similar project of such magnitude would be constructed  for Muslims. 

He wrote: “The N25 Billion project was flagged -off on April 26, 2026 by the Secretary to the Federal Government, George Akume, Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, other Senior Federal Government and CAN officials. 

“According to SGF George Akume, the project represents a “confluence of faith and progress” which will meet passengers’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. 

“Archbishop Okoh said travelers need a place where they can regain their calm before they enter the aeroplane,” Mahdi quoted. 

He added: “For this project to be flagged off by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Aviation Minister means the President is fully aware and has given his consent.” 

Shehu also pointed to the allocation of land for the project, suggesting that key government figures must have been involved in approving the space. 

He further questioned when Muslim travellers would be given the same prominent and visible land space to build a mosque at the airport. 

“When will equal financial contribution be provided to the Muslim faithful as was done for CAN?” he wrote. 

He also queried whether government officials would show similar support for a mosque project. 

“This N25 Billion project is an equation with two variables, one known and the other unknown. For the picture to become clear, the equation must be balanced otherwise it remains the case of: 

“A mother in charge of the kitchen will feed her children first and out of hate will deliberately starve the others to death,” he said. 

See his full post below.