The Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, will reopen for operations on Monday, April 28, 2025, following the completion of emergency runway repairs ahead of schedule. The reopening comes amid rising controversy over the Federal Government’s proposed concession of the airport, reportedly for a period of 80 years.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had initially announced that the airport would be shut down from April 22 to May 6, 2025, to allow urgent repair works after a rupture appeared on a critical section of the runway. However, in a statement released on Friday, FAAN confirmed that rehabilitation was completed faster than anticipated.
“We are pleased to inform the public that the emergency repairs on the runway have been concluded ahead of schedule. Consequently, Akanu Ibiam International Airport will reopen for normal operations on Monday, April 28, 2025,” the statement read.
FAAN expressed appreciation to passengers, airlines, and other stakeholders for their understanding during the closure, emphasizing that “safety remains our utmost priority.”
The closure had become necessary after a sudden and significant rupture was discovered on the asphalt surface, posing potential risks to flight operations. Industry experts lauded FAAN’s swift intervention, with Captain Ifeanyi Nwokedi, a retired pilot and aviation consultant, describing the action as “a necessary move to maintain the integrity of the airport’s operations and guarantee passenger safety.”
Concession Controversy Brews
Even as FAAN prepares to reopen the airport, fresh concerns have emerged over the Federal Government’s plan to concession Akanu Ibiam International Airport alongside four others – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano – to private operators.
While the official Full Business Case submitted for approval mentions a 50-year concession period, aviation unions allege that the actual agreement being circulated proposes an 80-year concession term, raising alarm among stakeholders.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) decried what it termed a lack of transparency in the process. In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Ocheme Aba, the union said: “It is disheartening that stakeholders, including aviation workers and host communities, were not adequately consulted before arriving at such a monumental decision that could tie the hands of successive generations.”
Mr. Aba further argued that “an 80-year concession is effectively a sale by another name” and demanded a review to ensure that the agreement serves national interests.
Reacting to the concerns, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, defended the government’s decision to concession the airports, noting that private sector investment was crucial to modernizing aviation infrastructure in the country.
“Our airports need significant upgrades to meet global standards, and government resources alone cannot sustain the required investment levels,” Keyamo said during a recent stakeholders’ briefing.
“Concession is not privatisation; it is a strategy to bring in efficiency and quality service delivery while retaining ownership.”
Nonetheless, the unions insist that while they support infrastructure improvement, the terms of engagement must be equitable and transparent.
Meanwhile, some industry observers have called for caution. Dr. Kenneth Okorie, a transport economist, warned that long-term concession agreements without periodic reviews could limit Nigeria’s flexibility to respond to future aviation and economic realities.
“Any agreement exceeding a generation should have strong renegotiation clauses every 15 to 20 years to protect national interest,” he said.
Looking Ahead
As operations resume at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, attention will remain focused on how the Federal Government addresses the concession controversy. Many stakeholders are calling for a broader consultation process, warning that any rushed or non-transparent arrangement could trigger avoidable legal and industrial disputes in the future.
In the meantime, FAAN has assured the public that flight schedules at the Enugu airport will return to normal starting Monday. GMTNewsng
