FG votes N105bn for aviation, plans refund to Kebbi

The Federal Government has appropriated N105,953,496,365 to the aviation industry in the 2025 budget before the National Assembly.

The 2025 allocation is an increase from the total budget of N63,317,450,275 in 2024.

In the budget, the Federal Government also plans to refund the sum of N4bn to the Kebbi State Government for the construc­tion of Sir Ahmadu Bello In­ternational Airport, Birnin Kebbi.

This, however, was in contrast to the advice from stakeholders, urging the government to desist from refunding state governments that spent public funds on building unviable airports.

While power/energy improvement at Lagos and Abuja airports got N5bn; the allocation for internet services was N1.5bn.

Further breakdown of the budget showed that the aviation ministry will have N71,123,368,069; the Nigerian Me­teorological Agency, N9,819,554,829, and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, N7,975,364,319.

Others include the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, N10,035,209,148; and the Nigerian Air­space Management Agency, N7,000,000,000.

The two biggest agencies of the aviation ministry – the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, got no allocation in the budget.

Experts say that is likely because they are both cost recovery agencies and pay their bills by themselves.

The Federal Government deducts 50 per cent of the Internally Generated Revenue of the agencies which is against the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

ICAO recommends that the funds generated by the agencies should be reinvested into improving infrastructure and boosting aviation safety.

Stakeholders including the aviation unions have continued to oppose the deduction, saying it poses a threat to safety in the industry.

When contacted, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, said he wasn’t sure that it was possible for the agency to be exempted from the budget, insisting that their budget for 2025 was submitted to the budget.

“Well, I am not sure that the NCAA can be exempted from the budget, but I will further confirm from the DFA (director of finance and accounts).”