The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that it will concession the airports in Enugu, Port Harcourt and three others in the country.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo made this known while receiving the Regional Vice President Africa and Middle east of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Kamil Awdhi, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
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In a statement issued on Monday by Odutayo Oluseyi, the aviation ministry’s Head, Press and Public Affairs, the five international airport for concession to include Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Murtala Muhammed International airport, Lagos, Port Harcourt International airport, Aminu Kano International Airport, and Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Minister said the level of infrastructure decay within the aviation industry calls for urgent action. He said going by the geographical location, Nigeria is the aviation hub for Africa and the world at large.
According to the statement, Mr Keyamo called for investors to avail themselves of the opportunity, noting that Nigeria’s aviation industry is strategic for both local and foreign investors.
The move to concession the airports comes over a year after a similar plan initiated by former President Muhammadu Buhari was temporarily suspended by Mr Keyamo when he assumed office.
President Buhari led Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, less than two weeks to the end of his tenure.
By the agreement on the concession, Corporacion America Airports Consortium will make an upfront payment of $7 million to run the Abuja airport for 20 years and $1.5 million for Kano airport for 30 years. The total revenue from the concession of the two airports during the period is estimated at over $4 billion.
At the time, the move was faulted by the Nigerian Senate during a plenary presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.
Within two weeks after he was sworn in as Aviation Minister, in September of 2023, Mr Keyamo suspended the move to concession the airports and ongoing plans for Nigeria’s National carrier ( Nigeria Air).
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
