The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Thursday approved the concession of the Port Harcourt International Airport to private investors as part of efforts to enhance operational efficiency and improve service delivery.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management, Festus Keyamo, announced the development after the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Keyamo assured aviation workers that the concession would not lead to job losses, adding that the government remains committed to protecting workers’ rights while reforming the aviation sector for sustainability.
> “Let me assure the unions that nobody will lose his job as a result of these concessions. I’m pro-union and pro-workers, and I will engage them to ensure they are comfortable with the process,” Keyamo stated.
He noted that several airports currently operate at a loss, relying on revenue from Lagos, Abuja, and Kano airports for support. According to him, the Port Harcourt Airport, once unattractive to investors, now has over six firms competing for its management due to renewed investor confidence in the Tinubu administration.
FEC also approved several aviation-related contracts, including maintenance and support services for management systems across Nigeria’s five international airports — Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu.
Other approvals include the procurement and installation of advanced power systems and navigational aids, the purchase of 15 airport rescue and firefighting vehicles to meet ICAO standards, and the construction of a new headquarters for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in Abuja.
In a related move, the Council barred the sale of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) residential properties around airports to private individuals, citing safety and security concerns.
FEC also endorsed the concession of biometric verification systems at airports to integrate passengers’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) into boarding processes, strengthening aviation security and curbing identity fraud.
Keyamo said the ministry further secured funding for upgraded lighting systems to enable night operations and boost airline capacity and revenue.
> “These reforms are designed to make our airports safer, more efficient, and commercially sustainable. We are bringing them to global standards,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, disclosed that FEC approved the long-delayed contract for the provision of engineering infrastructure in Maitama 2 District, covering about 786 hectares.
Wike explained that the project, stalled for nearly five years, would transform Maitama 2 into a major residential and commercial hub, in line with President Tinubu’s agenda to expand infrastructure in the capital.
> “Many people had been allocated land in Maitama 2 before this administration, but there was no infrastructure. We are determined to give this project all the attention it deserves,” he said.
The Council also ratified contracts for the construction of official residences for top judicial officers, including the heads of the Court of Appeal, National Industrial Court, Federal High Court, and FCT High Court.
Additionally, approvals were granted for water supply projects in satellite towns such as Karu, Karshi, Orozo, and Bwari, alongside the rehabilitation of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, which recently hosted the ECOWAS Parliament inauguration.
Wike reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to infrastructural renewal under the Renewed Hope Agenda, assuring residents that Abuja will continue to serve as a model for urban development and governance.
