Tinubu To Review Buhari-Led Administration’s Concession Of 2 Major Airports: Aviation Minister

Nigeria's Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo revealed on Monday that President Bola Tinubu was all set to review former President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari-led administration's concession of two Nigerian airports to ensure transparency.

Speaking at the ongoing ministerial sectoral update in commemoration of Tinubu's one year in office, Keyamo made this announcement, saying, "We are starting the process of concession of airports all over again to make it more transparent," adding that "bureaucracy cannot run public infrastructure," Premium Times reported.

Last year, the then aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, launched Nigeria Air just three days before leaving the office. This move raised concerns among Nigerians, who questioned its legitimacy and the minister's management of the airline.

After this launch, the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation called for the suspension of Nigeria Air and those involved in the unveiling of the airline, describing the whole process as "fraud."

Keyamo added that Nigeria Air was still suspended, and revealed that the carrier released by Sirika was an Ethiopian Airlines plane bearing Nigeria's flag.

"Nigeria Air must be fully indigenous," Keyamo said.

Similarly, just before the end of the former president's term, the Federal Executive Council approved the concession of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano to the Corporacion America Airporta Consortium, which was also faulted by the Senate.

Under the concession agreement, the Corporacion America Airports Consortium would pay $7 million upfront to operate the Abuja airport for 20 years and $1.5 million for the Kano airport for 30 years. The total revenue from these concessions over the period is expected to be over $4 billion.

Last year, Sirika announced in March that Nigeria Air would become operational before May 29, which was the day Tinubu took over the office. At that time, Sirika said the work was 98% finished, adding that the implementation of this aviation roadmap cost around $14.166 billion.