The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has formally signed the concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu State.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in Abuja. The Minister hosted a joint delegation comprising officials of the Enugu State Government and representatives of Aero Alliance, the concessionaire.
The Enugu State delegation was led by the Honourable Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Obi Ozor, while the Aero Alliance team included Engr. Chuks Aniekwe, Barrister Oyiwodu Okibe-Oga, Onyedikachi Nwachukwu, Kester Enwereonu, and Barrister Michael Nwaechie of Ivy Solicitors.
Federal Government officials present at the event included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Yakubu Adams Kofarmata; the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; and FAAN’s Director of Legal Services, Mrs. Bridget Iwinose Gold, alongside other senior officials of the Ministry and FAAN.
The signing marks a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure through strategic public-private partnerships.
Speaking at the ceremony, Keyamo described the agreement as the culmination of a long, rigorous, and transparent process that began several years ago.
“Today marks 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 to contract,” the Minister said.
He explained that following the approval, the Ministry, FAAN, and Aero Alliance engaged in extensive negotiations, including consultations with aviation unions, to ensure the protection of workers’ rights and welfare.
“We carried out these agreements with the rights and privileges of workers uppermost in our minds. Their jobs are secure, they have not been retrenched, their terms and conditions of employment remain unchanged, and they continue as employees of the Federal Government and FAAN,” Keyamo stated.
He emphasised that job security and staff welfare were central to the concession framework, adding that no worker was short-changed in the process.
“Having fully addressed workers’ rights, we proceeded to resolve other critical issues and ensured that virtually all areas were covered before signing this agreement,” he added.
The Minister noted that although the main concession agreement has been concluded, two operational matters—security charges and the airport’s financial model—will be finalised in the coming weeks to ensure seamless implementation.
“There are two minor operational issues relating to security fees and the financial model of the airport. These will be resolved shortly. However, as far as the main concession is concerned, we have today agreed to concession the Enugu Airport to Aero Alliance,” he said.
Keyamo described the event as historic, noting that the concession would reposition the Enugu Airport for greater efficiency, improved service delivery, and an enhanced passenger experience.
The concession of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, forms part of the Federal Government’s wider aviation reform agenda aimed at attracting private investment, upgrading infrastructure, strengthening regional connectivity, and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global aviation sector.