The Federal Government has signed a concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, moving forward with its plan to upgrade airport facilities through partnerships with the private sector.
The development was announced on Friday in a statement issued by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
According to the statement, representatives of the Enugu State Government, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the concessionaire, Aero Alliance, were present at the signing ceremony.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the agreement marked the conclusion of a long and open process that started several years ago.
He explained that the Federal Executive Council approved the concession plan on July 31, 2025, paving the way for the final contract to be signed.
“Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. The process culminated on the 31st of July, 2025, when the Federal Executive Council approved the proposal to concession the Enugu Airport, subject, of course, to contract,” the minister said
After the council’s approval, Keyamo said the ministry, FAAN, and Aero Alliance engaged in detailed discussions, including consultations with aviation unions, to ensure that workers’ rights were fully protected.
“We did these agreements with the rights and privileges of workers uppermost in our minds. Let me say today that we have fully respected and preserved the rights of aviation workers.
“They have not been retrenched, their terms and conditions of employment have not changed in any way, and they remain workers of the Federal Government and FAAN,” he said.
He stressed that no aviation worker would lose their job as a result of the concession, noting that staff conditions, benefits, and employment status remain unchanged.
“The workers have not been short-changed in any way at all. Their jobs are safe and protected.
“Having taken care of the rights of workers, we then addressed other critical issues and virtually covered all areas before the signing of this agreement,” he added.
He disclosed that while the main agreement has been finalised, a few operational details, including security charges and the airport’s financial structure, will be resolved in the coming weeks.
“There are two little issues after signing, in terms of operationalising the agreement, regarding security fees and the financial model of the airport.
” These will be resolved in the next few weeks. But as far as the main concession is concerned, we have agreed to concession the Enugu Airport to Aero Alliance today,” he said.
The minister described the signing as a major step that would help improve efficiency, service quality, and overall passenger experience at the Enugu airport.
The concession forms part of the Federal Government’s broader aviation reform agenda, which aims to attract private investment, upgrade infrastructure, improve regional air connectivity, and strengthen Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Earlier in 2025, the aviation ministry had explained that concession plans for Enugu and other major airports, such as Lagos and Port Harcourt, were still under review, with no final terms agreed at the time.
It said various proposals from interested private operators, covering different concession periods and financial arrangements, were being reviewed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission before approval by the Federal Executive Council.
Under a concession arrangement, a private company is allowed to operate, maintain, and improve airport facilities for a fixed period, while ownership of the airport remains with the government.
The goal is to bring in private funding and expertise to improve infrastructure and service delivery.
KanyiDaily recalls that Festus Keyamo had dismissed a report that suggested the FG had finalized the concession period for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.