FG To Offer 17 Airports For Concession – Sirika Reveals

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika has revealed government’s plan to put up at least 17 airports under the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria for concession.

The minister said necessary arrangements are ongoing in order to make the entry requirements for aviation investors much easier for the concession.

Sirika said there is a lot of airports in the county that are in dire need of resources and investment, hence they will welcome investment from the private sectors to help them achieve their targets.

Naija News understands that the minister made the observation yesterday at the ongoing National Aviation Conference in Abuja.

Sirika believe other airports would follow the trend after the current concession of Nigeria’s major international airports. He noted that the concession process for Nigeria’s four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano is currently ongoing.

Naija News understands that FAAN currently manages 21 airports on behalf of the Federal Government.

Making known of investment opportunities in the aviation sector, Sirika said, “For investments in the airports, airport concessions, starting with the five international airports are also excellent opportunities for investments. Other airports too gradually will be out on concession.

“There are a lot of state airports, a lot of private airports, I believe that needs resources and investments and I’m sure the owners/operators of these airports will welcome investments from the private sector to enable them to achieve their strategic goals for implementing these projects.”

Represented by the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Musa Nuhu, Sirika stressed that the Nigeria aviation industry offers several opportunities for investments and that as a regulator, FAAN is working at the regulations to unbundle them and make it easier for people to invest in all areas.

He added: “This is especially in general aviation which has significant sectors and we are going to be unbundling our regulations to make the entry requirements much easier so that people are encouraged to invest.”

In his address at the conference, the Director, Commercial and Business Development, FAAN, Sadiku Rafindadi, stated that the Nigerian aviation market was huge, yet untapped.

He, however, noted that the plan of FAAN was to fully tap Nigeria’s potential and harness the available opportunities within the 21 airports managed by the authority.