The Federal Government has formally signed a concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, marking a major step in efforts to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure through public-private partnerships.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed the agreement at a ceremony held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.
The event brought together officials of the Enugu State Government and representatives of Aero Alliance, the concessionaire selected to manage and develop the airport. The Enugu delegation was led by the Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Obi Ozor, while the Aero Alliance team included Engr. Chuks Aniekwe, Barrister Oyiwodu Okibe-Oga, Onyedikachi Nwachukwu, Kester Enwereonu, and Barrister Michael Nwaechie of Ivy Solicitors.
Also present were key Federal Government officials, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Yakubu Adams Kofarmata; the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; and FAAN’s Director of Legal Services, Mrs. Bridget Iwinose Gold, alongside other senior officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, Keyamo described the signing as the culmination of a long and transparent process that spanned several years.
“Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. The process culminated last year when the Federal Executive Council approved the proposal to concession the Enugu Airport, subject, of course, to contract,” the minister said.
He explained that extensive negotiations followed the Federal Executive Council’s approval, involving FAAN, Aero Alliance, and aviation unions, with particular attention paid to workers’ welfare.
“We did these agreements with the rights and privileges of workers uppermost in our minds. Let me say today that we have fully respected and preserved the rights of aviation workers. They have not been retrenched, their terms and conditions of employment have not changed in any way, and they remain workers of the Federal Government and FAAN,” Keyamo stated.
Reinforcing the government’s position, the minister assured workers that their jobs were secure under the concession arrangement.
“The workers have not been short-changed in any way at all. Their jobs are safe and protected. Having taken care of the rights of workers, we then addressed other critical issues and virtually covered all areas before the signing of this agreement,” he added.
Keyamo noted that although the main concession agreement has been signed, two operational matters — security charges and the airport’s financial model — would be finalised in the coming weeks.
“There are two little issues after signing, in terms of operationalising the agreement, regarding security fees and the financial model of the airport. These will be resolved in the next few weeks. But as far as the main concession is concerned, we have agreed to concession the Enugu Airport to Aero Alliance today,” he said.
He described the event as historic, expressing optimism that the concession would reposition the Enugu airport for greater efficiency, improved service delivery, and a better passenger experience.
The concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport is part of the Federal Government’s broader aviation reform agenda aimed at attracting private investment, upgrading infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity, and boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global aviation sector.
