The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has formally executed the concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State.
A statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, said the signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in Abuja. The event brought together officials of the Enugu State Government and representatives of Aero Alliance, the airport’s concessionaire.
The Enugu State delegation was led by the Honourable Commissioner for Transport, Dr Obi Ozor, while the Aero Alliance team comprised Engr. Chuks Aniekwe, Barrister Oyiwodu Okibe-Oga, Onyedikachi Nwachukwu, Kester Enwereonu and Barrister Michael Nwaechie of Ivy Solicitors.
From the Federal Government, attendees included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr Yakubu Adams Kofarmata; the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku; FAAN’s Director of Legal Services, Mrs Bridget Iwinose Gold; as well as other senior officials of the Ministry and FAAN.
The agreement represents a significant step in the Federal Government’s push to modernise aviation infrastructure through public-private partnerships.
Addressing stakeholders, Keyamo said the signing marked the completion of a rigorous and transparent process that had spanned several years.
“Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. The process culminated on the 31st of July, 2025, when the Federal Executive Council approved the proposal to concession the Enugu Airport, subject, of course, to contract,” he said.
He explained that after the Federal Executive Council’s approval, extensive negotiations were held among the Ministry, FAAN and Aero Alliance, including consultations with aviation unions, to ensure workers’ welfare was fully protected.
“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.
The Minister emphasised that job security and staff welfare were central to the concession framework.
“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 finalised, two outstanding operational matters — security charges and the airport’s financial model — will be addressed in the coming weeks to ensure seamless implementation.
“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 signing as a historic milestone that would reposition the Enugu Airport for greater efficiency, improved service delivery and a better passenger experience.
The concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport forms part of the Federal Government’s wider aviation sector reform programme aimed at attracting private investment, upgrading infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity and boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in global aviation.