Transportation Minister reveals FG plan to privatize airports

Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, has revealed the plans of the federal government to privatize the Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano airports.

The minister disclosed this during a fact-finding tour of facilities and agencies at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

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Rotimi Amaechi was accompanied by the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Muhtar Usman; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma; and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Ibrahim Abdulsalam; as well as the Director-General, Nigeria Meteorological Agency, Dr. Anthony Anuforom.

Amaechi claimed that the move was aimed at improving the development and efficiency of the airport. The transport minister also gave December 2016 as the deadline for the completion of the four major international airport terminals under construction in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

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"The new terminal in Lagos will generate additional 15 million passengers annually, making a total of 30 million passengers yearly nationwide. The medium and long-term plans will require significant investments to upgrade and expand infrastructure to meet current and future requirements," the minister disclosed.

“As a result of limited resources for capital project development, the government is exploring the possibility of private sector participation towards the realisation of the industries’ potential.”

He also resounded the resolve of the federal government to institute a national carrier.