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Festus Keyamo, SAN, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has announced the suspension of the airports’ concession and national carrier projects. These two major initiatives were part of the aviation roadmap that was initiated by the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
During a tour of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, Keyamo indicated that both the airports’ concession and national carrier plans would be put on hold indefinitely.
The controversy surrounding these projects stemmed from their approval shortly before the end of the previous government’s tenure. Just a week prior to the completion of the previous administration’s term, the Federal Government announced the successful concessioning of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The Corporacion American Airport Consortium emerged as the preferred bidder for the concessioning, comprising the Corporation American Airports, Mota Engil Africa, and Mota Engil Nigeria. The consortium was set to make upfront payments of $7 million for NAIA and $1.5 million for MAKIA.
Similarly, the launch of the national carrier, Nigeria Air, was mired in controversy. The airline’s launch took place just 72 hours before the end of the administration, surprising many in the aviation sector. However, the national carrier, named Nigeria Air, had not yet received the necessary Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to commence commercial operations. This launch occurred despite an existing order from the Federal High Court in Lagos that had halted the take-off of the national carrier due to a lawsuit filed by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).
In addition to these developments, Minister Keyamo revealed plans to shut down the old terminal of the airport for extensive repairs, beginning on October 1. He also directed foreign airlines to relocate to the new terminal by the same date when the old terminal would be closed down for rehabilitation.
Keyamo’s decision to suspend the airports’ concession and national carrier projects indicates a reassessment of these initiatives and a focus on addressing issues surrounding them before moving forward.
