FG moves to take over 4 state-owned airports

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has disclosed plans by the federal government to take over and privatized state-owned airports in Nigeria.

The Minister made this revelation at the ongoing FAAN National Aviation Conference which started on Tuesday, June 14 in Abuja.

It has been reported that many airports across the country are idle, with some not recording any domestic flight passengers in months.

Some of these include airports in Eket, Bauchi, Dutse, Kebbi, Asaba, Makurdi, minna, Osubi.

The minister listed some of the airports to be taken over as Kebbi, Dutse, Bauchi and Gombe airports.

Looking at the numbers, he said, “Nigeria actually has 43 airports, some of which are airstrips where flights take off and land, among these 43 airports, some are federal airports, some are state owned and others are privately owned.”

He added that some other state airports across the nation will be privatized to enhance the efficiency of the airports and for better management.

According to the minister, the government is working on utilizing other components of the aviation roadmap which include the establishment of aircraft leasing companies, aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul investments, national carrier, and airport concession, amongst others.

He said these components are in their advanced stages and will be completed before the end of this current administration.

He asked investors and other stakeholders to take advantage of the many opportunities in the sector, especially with the recently approved 12 hectares of land for implementation of the aviation roadmap by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).