Pat Stevens/
The Federal Executive Council has approved the concession of the Port Harcourt International Airport to private operators as part of efforts to improve efficiency and reduce losses from poorly performing terminals across the country.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this to State House correspondents after Thursday’s council meeting in Abuja. He assured aviation workers that the concession would not lead to job losses.
“This is a message to the unions: we will engage them. Nobody will lose their job. I’m making this very clear because there has been all kinds of misinformation to the union members. I am pro-union, pro-workers, and I know the kind of pressure they have been putting on me, including people within the system instigating them against these concessions. They will not dictate policies of the government. I repeat, no worker will lose his job as a result of concessions,” Keyamo said.
The minister explained that previous attempts to attract investors to the Port Harcourt Airport failed under the last administration, but renewed confidence in the Tinubu-led government had changed the situation.
“Before we came in, Port Harcourt was a no-go area. Almost all the investors shunned Port Harcourt. But since this government came to power, more than six people were scrambling and falling over themselves to get to Port Harcourt. We now have a business case approved,” he said.
Keyamo added that all eight memos presented by the Ministry of Aviation were approved by the Council. These include the purchase of 15 new firefighting vehicles for the five international airports in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu.
“This is in tune with ICAO standards. The International Civil Aviation Organisation regularly audits our airports to determine whether they meet global standards. One of the key requirements is adequate fire-fighting equipment,” he explained.
Also approved was the procurement and installation of tertiary power supply systems for all airports and 14 Very High Frequency remote stations managed by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, to guarantee continuous operation of air navigation systems.
The Council further approved the implementation of a biometric verification system across all Nigerian airports.
“Too many anonymous people board aircraft using fake identities. That is not good for national security. With this system, your NIN will be linked to boarding data. We will verify that you are truly the one flying. This meets ICAO standards,” the minister said.
The Council also gave approval for the construction of a permanent headquarters for NAMA in Abuja, following its relocation from Lagos. Keyamo said the agency currently operates from rented buildings in the Federal Capital Territory.
He further announced that all properties belonging to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria in and around airports had been officially exempted from sale to private individuals.
“This is a public announcement to those who purported to have bought airport properties: we will not give those properties to them,” he said. “Airports are high-security zones. We need quarters for emergency personnel like the fire service and security staff. The President has now approved a memo to that effect.”
Keyamo added that past disposals of such properties by a presidential committee under former President Olusegun Obasanjo had created long-term security concerns.
The Council also approved contracts for runway and perimeter lighting in the 2024 aviation budget to allow late-night operations in selected airports.
“Some airports close as early as 6pm because there are no lights for night operations. We want airlines to fly till 10 or 11 pm to increase capacity and revenue,” the minister said.
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