Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has refuted online claims that a lengthy concession period has been agreed upon for Enugu International Airport.
Keyamo described these reports on Enugu Airport as “utterly baseless and untrue,” emphasising that while the Federal Government is evaluating proposals for the concession of five major airports, including Enugu, no specific duration has been established.
The minister clarified that the assessment of the concession proposals is still ongoing and has not yet culminated in any definitive decisions.
“It is true that the Federal Government is exploring various proposals for the concession of our major airports, but the notion of a predetermined concession duration is completely false,” Keyamo stated. “These reports are an attempt to sow mistrust and create unnecessary discontent among Nigerians.”
He further elaborated that numerous airports across the country are currently operating at a loss and depend heavily on substantial subsidies from the Federal Government to maintain operations.
According to Keyamo, the initiative to concession airports is a proactive strategy to ensure that these vital facilities can achieve international standards and remain financially sustainable in the long run.
“Many of our airports are currently running at a loss and need consistent federal support. The decision to concession airports began under previous administrations, and the aim is to ensure that these airports operate efficiently and are able to meet growing international standards,” he added.
Keyamo also highlighted the inclusive nature of the process, noting that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has actively engaged Aviation Labour Unions in the discussions.
He reiterated that transparency will be a guiding principle throughout the process, which will ultimately be reviewed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and submitted to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.
“The Honourable Minister of Aviation will ensure that no decisions are made without thorough consideration of the interests of the nation and the aviation sector. We are committed to a transparent process,” Keyamo emphasised, seeking to alleviate concerns regarding mismanagement or insufficient oversight.
The statement concluded with a firm condemnation of the unfounded reports, which Keyamo believes are being propagated by individuals with vested interests in undermining the process.
He assured the public that the Federal Government remains committed to enhancing the nation’s aviation infrastructure and that the ultimate aim is to strengthen the sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
