The Federal Government has approved the Port Harcourt Airport concession to private operators. According to officials, the move will improve efficiency and reduce losses linked to poorly performing airport terminals across Nigeria.
After the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, told reporters that the concession would not cause job losses.
“This is a message to the unions: we will engage them. Nobody will lose their job,” Keyamo said.
“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.”
“They will not dictate policies of the government. I repeat, no worker will lose his job as a result of concessions.”
Keyamo explained that the previous administration struggled to attract investors to the Port Harcourt Airport.
However, under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, investor confidence has returned.
“Before we came in, Port Harcourt was a no-go area. Almost all the investors shunned it. But since this government came to power, more than six people were scrambling and falling over themselves to get Port Harcourt. We now have a business case approved,” he said.
The minister also revealed that all eight memos presented by the Aviation Ministry were approved by the FEC. Among them was the purchase of 15 brand-new fire engines for Nigeria’s five international airports, Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu.
“This is in tune with ICAO standards,” he said. “The International Civil Aviation Organisation regularly audits our airports. One of the key requirements is adequate fire-fighting equipment.”
The Council also approved the installation of tertiary power supplies at all airports and 14 Very High Frequency (VHF) stations operated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
According to Keyamo, this upgrade will ensure continuous power for aviation navigation systems.
He added that the FEC approved a biometric verification system for all Nigerian airports.
“Too many anonymous people board aircraft using fake identities. That is not good for national security,” Keyamo said.
“With this system, your NIN will link to boarding data. We will verify that you are truly the one flying. This meets ICAO standards.”
The Council further approved a permanent headquarters for NAMA in Abuja, following its relocation from Lagos.
Keyamo clarified that the agency had been operating from rented spaces in the Federal Capital Territory.
He also announced that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has officially banned the sale of airport properties to private buyers.
“This is a public announcement to those who purported to have bought airport properties: we will not give those properties to them,” Keyamo declared.
“Airports are high-security zones. We need quarters for emergency personnel like fire service and security staff. The President has now approved a memo to that effect,” he added.
