The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has formally signed the concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, marking a major milestone in the Federal Government’s drive to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure through strategic public-private partnerships.
The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in Abuja, where the minister received a combined delegation of Enugu State Government officials and representatives of Aero Alliance, the concessionaire.
In a statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser, Tunde Moshood, the Enugu State delegation was led by the 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.
Addressing the gathering, Keyamo described the occasion as the conclusion of a painstaking and transparent process that spanned several years.
According to him, “Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. The process culminated on the July 31, 2025, when the Federal Executive Council approved the proposal to concession the Enugu Airport, subject of course to contract.”
He explained that following the Federal Executive Council’s approval, the ministry, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Aero Alliance engaged in extensive negotiations, including consultations with aviation unions, to ensure that workers’ welfare remained a top priority.
“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,” he said.
Keyamo stressed that safeguarding jobs and protecting staff interests formed a core part of 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.
The minister noted that although the main concession agreement has been concluded, two operational matters, including security charges and the financial model for airport operations, will be resolved in the coming weeks to ensure smooth implementation.
The concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, forms part of the Federal Government’s broader aviation sector reform agenda aimed at attracting private investment, improving infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity, and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness in the aviation industry.
