The Federal Government has formally sealed the concession of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to Aero Alliance, in a move to modernise Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure through public-private partnerships.
The concession agreement was signed on Wednesday in Abuja by Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday, by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the minister.
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Speaking at the signing ceremony, Keyamo described the agreement as the culmination of a long, transparent and painstaking process that spanned several years. He recalled that the Federal Executive Council approved the concession of the Enugu Airport on July 31, 2025, subject to the successful conclusion of contractual negotiations.
“Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. Following the approval of the Federal Executive Council, the Ministry, FAAN and Aero Alliance engaged in extensive negotiations to ensure that all critical issues were addressed before this agreement was signed,” the minister said.
He emphasised that the protection of aviation workers was central to the concession framework, noting that consultations were held with relevant unions to safeguard staff welfare.
“We did these agreements with the rights and privileges of workers uppermost in our minds. Their jobs are safe and protected. They have not been retrenched, their terms and conditions of service have not changed, and they remain employees of the Federal Government and FAAN,” Keyamo stated.
According to the minister, once workers rights were fully secured, attention shifted to other technical, legal and operational matters to ensure a sustainable concession arrangement.
While confirming that the main concession agreement has now been concluded, Keyamo disclosed that two outstanding operational issues, relating to security charges and the airport’s financial operating model, would be resolved in the coming weeks to enable seamless implementation.
“There are two minor issues regarding operationalising the agreement, but these will be addressed shortly. As far as the main concession is concerned, we have agreed Today to concession the Enugu Airport to Aero Alliance,” he added.
The minister described the signing as a historic milestone that would reposition the Akanu Ibiam International Airport for improved efficiency, better service delivery and enhanced passenger experience.
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The event brought together officials of the Enugu State Government, representatives of Aero Alliance, and top management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The concession of the Enugu Airport forms part of the Federal Government’s broader aviation sector reform agenda aimed at attracting private capital, upgrading critical infrastructure, boosting regional connectivity and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global aviation market.
