The Federal Government has officially handed over the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to Aero Alliance Limited under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, marking what officials described as a historic milestone in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
The handover ceremony, presided over by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, represents the first successful airport concession in two decades and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at modernising critical infrastructure through private sector participation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Keyamo noted that while previous attempts to concession major airports in Lagos, Abuja and Kano had failed to reach completion, the Enugu project has broken new ground by becoming Nigeria’s first successfully concluded airport concession in 20 years. The minister said the concession is expected to accelerate infrastructure development at the airport, improve operational efficiency and service delivery, while creating significant employment opportunities across the South-East region.
Under the agreement, Aero Alliance Limited will assume responsibility for the management and operation of the airport, with an emphasis on efficiency, accountability and international best practices. “This airport will now be privately managed with a strong focus on efficiency, accountability and service delivery. Those who perform their duties diligently have nothing to fear,” Keyamo said, assuring airport workers that their jobs and welfare would be protected throughout the transition.
The project also underscores growing collaboration between the Federal Government and the Enugu State Government, led by Governor Peter Mbah, whose administration is pursuing an ambitious strategy to position Enugu as a leading logistics, aviation and investment hub in West Africa. As part of that vision, the Enugu State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate direct cargo flights between Guangzhou, China, and Enugu, a move expected to strengthen trade links, boost exports and imports, and enhance the state’s role in regional and international commerce.
Industry stakeholders believe the concession will attract fresh private investment into airport infrastructure, improve passenger experience, expand cargo handling capacity and stimulate broader economic activities in the South-East. The development is widely seen as a significant step in Nigeria’s ongoing aviation reform programme, with the government hoping that the Enugu model will pave the way for similar partnerships at other airports across the country.
