Igbo Leaders Reject Enugu Airport Concession, Citing Injustice and Marginalization

A prominent group of Igbo intellectuals, traditional rulers, and stakeholders, known as the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), has vehemently rejected the Federal Government's decision to concession the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) in Enugu to a private firm. The ILT described the move by President Bola Tinubu's administration as "another grave act of injustice against Ndigbo" and further evidence of the South-East's marginalization.

The airport was formally handed over to Aero Alliance Limited last Thursday under a 30-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement. This deal allows the concessionaire to finance, rehabilitate, expand, operate, and manage the airport. However, the ILT issued a strong statement on Monday, warning that the withdrawal of Federal Government funding would inevitably compromise the airport's infrastructure, operational efficiency, safety standards, and overall passenger experience.

The ILT highlighted that the concession process was fraught with controversy, citing issues related to transparency, insufficient consultation, labor concerns, the contract's duration, and doubts about the sustainability of private funding for such a critical national asset. Despite these unresolved problems, the Federal Government proceeded with the concession, awarding it to a company the ILT claims lacks any prior experience managing an international airport of comparable scale, either in Nigeria or abroad.

This decision means that Akanu Ibiam International Airport is now the sole international airport among Nigeria's six to be entirely financed, operated, and managed by a private entity. The Federal Government continues to fund the operations of the other five. The ILT recounted the airport's history, noting its establishment in the 1950s, its upgrade to a regular airport in the late 1970s, its designation as international in 2007, and its commencement of international operations in 2013 after extensive rehabilitation. Significant federal investments, totaling approximately ₦14 billion during the Yar'Adua and Jonathan administrations, and a special ₦10 billion intervention fund approved by the Buhari administration for runway and perimeter fencing rehabilitation, underscore the federal government's past commitment to the airport.

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another grave act of injustice against Ndigbo