Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has firmly denied reports that the Federal Government has agreed to a specific concession period for Enugu International Airport.
The minister addressed the claim through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood. According to the statement, while concession talks are ongoing and several proposals have been received from interested companies, no final decision has been made.
Keyamo described the media report as “utterly baseless and untrue,” stressing that the concession process is still in the evaluation stage.
This clarification comes just days after Air Peace suspended flight operations to Enugu due to infrastructural concerns, prompting the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to temporarily shut down the airport for emergency runway repairs.
Moshood highlighted the financial challenges facing Nigerian airports, noting that many operate at a loss and require government subsidies to stay afloat. This, he explained, is one of the key drivers behind the push for concessions.
“Whilst it is true that the Federal Government is considering proposals for the concession of five major airports, including Enugu, no fixed duration has been approved,” Moshood said. “All proposals are undergoing rigorous review and will require input from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and eventual approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).”
To promote transparency, the minister has also directed the inclusion of aviation labour unions in the concession negotiations. However, some union representatives have raised concerns, alleging that the process lacks transparency and is being carried out “in the dark.”
Reassuring the public, Moshood added, “With his training and track record, the Minister will not allow anything untoward to happen under his watch. He has so far run the Ministry in a transparent manner and will ensure all decisions serve the national interest.”
