By James Edet
As the International President of a globally active organisation, which requires me to travel regularly to cities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Europe, and other parts of the world where we have a strong presence, I have transited through major airports that serve as hubs for leading international airlines—including London, Paris, Atlanta, Casablanca, and Addis Ababa.
This has afforded me first-hand knowledge of how the international airport ecosystem can transform the economies of cities, regions, and even entire nations.
I have seen how international airports act as engines of growth—creating jobs, attracting investment, boosting tourism, and facilitating trade. They are far more than transit points; they are catalysts for prosperity. Cities such as Atlanta, Paris, Doha, and even Addis Ababa offer compelling evidence of the transformative power of international aviation status.
Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson Airport, one of the busiest in the world, has turned the city into a logistics and corporate powerhouse, attracting multiple companies and billions of dollars in annual commerce. Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport has anchored France’s tourism and luxury economy, facilitating the influx of millions of visitors each year.
Doha’s Hamad International Airport has been instrumental in positioning Qatar as a global transit and business hub, spurring financial inflows and international partnerships. Addis Ababa, once modest in global perception, has leveraged its airport’s international growth to become Africa’s aviation nerve centre, with Ethiopian Airlines developing trade routes and economic expansion across the continent.
These examples demonstrate that once an airport connects directly to the world, the host city, and by extension the state and nation, do not just grow—they accelerate, diversify, and globalise their entire economic profile.
This is why the recent announcement elevating Victor Attah International Airport—the pride of Akwa Ibom and the operational home of another crown jewel of Akwa Ibom, Ibom Air—to full international status came as a sweet melody not only to my ears but to countless Akwa Ibom citizens at home and abroad.
This decision represents an economic masterstroke by our pragmatic Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, whose vision and diplomatic engagement secured federal approval to transform Uyo into an international aviation gateway.
On a personal level, the significance of this upgrade cannot be overstated. Permit me to share a personal experience. My most recent trip to Berlin, which should have been seamless, quickly devolved into a logistical nightmare. On the return journey through Amsterdam, the airline left my luggage behind due to logistical issues. It only arrived Lagos 24 hours after I had touched down, forcing me to spend additional nights in the city at my own expense, and reschedule my local flight back to Uyo—again at personal cost.
All of this stress, inefficiency, and resource loss stemmed from the absence of a direct international connection to Akwa Ibom.
With the new international designation, that era of inconvenience is coming to an end. Akwa Ibom can now expect direct international access, reduced travel barriers, and a fresh wave of economic momentum.
Beyond convenience, this development will drive foreign investment, energise tourism, strengthen commercial exchange, create skilled jobs, and enable local products—from agricultural goods to manufactured items—to reach global markets with greater speed and efficiency.
Victor Attah International Airport’s new status marks more than an infrastructural upgrade; it signals a turning point in Akwa Ibom’s evolution into a vibrant economic hub.
Governor Umo Eno has demonstrated strategic leadership, securing a development that will open doors for citizens, entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, and future generations.
For those of us who have endured the frustrations of indirect travel and also experienced the transformative power of international airports worldwide, this approval is both symbolic and substantive. It positions Akwa Ibom not on the periphery, but at the crossroads of global movement—ready to receive the world, and ready to step confidently into it.
