Aviation

‘Concession Of Asaba Airport ’ll Create More Jobs’

Published

7 years ago

December 14, 2018

Project Manager, Asaba Airport, Chief Austin Ayemidejor, says the state government’s plan to concession the airport will create more jobs and not lead to job loss.
The project manager stated this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Asaba.
Our correspondent recalls that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had at various fora announced that the airport would be privatised or commercialised to enable the private sector to drive the project and make it more profitable.
Ayemidejor, noted that government really had no business running a business but its focus should be to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
He said that the concession would expand the activities in the airport and attract more investments such as hospitality industry and its subsidiaries, like the airport cab operators.
The project manager noted that the airport currently had about 100 staff, adding that the workers were well trained for the job they do at the airport.
He said that most of the departments were specialised departments such that the concessioner must work with them.
“The concession of the airport will create more jobs and not in any way lead to job loss because it is structured in a manner that it will not in any way affect the current numerical strength of staff.
“I don’t also have the feelings that any concessioner will just come and lay off the entire staff of Asaba airport because they need them; aviation needs a lot of training and retraining.
“For instance, you cannot just lay-off the fire fighters, aviation security personnel.
“The second thing is that there are departments that you must mandatorily work with. The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Metrological staff and others,” Ayemidejor said.
He said that work on the airport perimeter fencing had reached 80 per cent completion and that the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport would become fully operational in few weeks.
Ayemidejor said that in preparation for the Yuletide, Nigeria’s premier carrier, Air Peace Airline would deploy boeing 737 and other aircrafts to take the pressure of passengers during the period.
According to him the construction work at the airport started in 2008 while flight operations commenced in July 2011.
“This airport apart from the 100 workers it directly employs has created lots of indirect employment and since then it has made life easier as people take flights out and into Asaba.
“This has also attracted a lot of investment.
Within the airport area we have a lot of cab operators, business centres springing up which are directly and indirectly creating jobs and impacting on economic activities of Asaba.
“This Yuletide, we have discussed with Air Peace to deploy Boeing 737 and other aircraft to take passengers from Lagos and Abuja to Asaba.
“Besides, the Aero Contractor, and Overland are on and we are talking with Arik to commence operations,” he said.
The project manager who reacted to some issues arising from the cab operators association at the airport, said that he was not aware of any fresh squabble among them.
He said though there had been some misunderstanding among the cab operators, the situation had been taken care off.
Mr Mejeli Chukwuemeka, Secretary, Asaba Airport Cab and Haulage Services, an affiliate of Airport Car Hire Services of Nigeria (ACHAN) confirmed that since the upgrade of the airport flight operations have reasonably improved.
He, however, appealed to the airport management to streamline the cab operations by bringing all operators under one union to avoid the rowdy session which preceded any arrival of flight, as members scrabble for passengers.
“Like it is done in other airports, all cab operators register and belong to one association and they take their turns whenever flight arrives, but the case is different here.
“We are also appealing to management to build a make-shift structure, a resting place for the cab operators to avoid loitering around the airport premises while waiting for flight arrivals,” chukwuemeka said.(NAN).

Aviation

March 28 Rollout: FAAN Directs Airlines Integration Into National Single Window

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has directed all cargo airline operators to integrate their operations with the National Single Window (NSW) platform ahead of its official rollout in March 2026, in a move aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency, and revenue collection in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem.

In a statement released last Tuesday to The Tide Correspondent at Omagwa Airport in Portharcourt, FAAN disclosed that its Directorate of Cargo Development and Services, in collaboration with the NSW implementation team, recently engaged key stakeholders across the aviation and cargo value chain to prepare them for the transition to the digital platform.

The statement said that during the engagement, cargo airline operators were directed by the Minister of Finance to begin submitting their air cargo manifests through the National Single Window platform as part of preparations for the official launch scheduled for March 27, 2026.

To ensure a seamless transition, FAAN said structured training sessions would be conducted for operators and other stakeholders ahead of the rollout to guarantee smooth adoption and effective utilisation of the system.

The National Single Window project, inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in April 2024, is designed to centralise and digitise the processing of trade documentation, including manifests, permits, licences and customs declarations, through a single electronic gateway.

With the platform entering its first operational phase on March 27, 2026, stakeholders expect significant improvements in the way trade-related processes are handled, particularly for freight forwarders, licensed customs agents and cargo operators.

According to project principals, the successful launch of the system is expected to boost the efficient collection of customs duties and other trade-related taxes by allowing traders to submit all required documentation electronically via one platform, eliminating the need to interface separately with multiple government agencies.

Other anticipated benefits include reduced administrative costs, improved transparency, enhanced security of trade procedures and increased foreign investment driven by a more predictable and efficient trade environment.

FAAN, MTN Nigeria Launch Free Wifi Service At Lagos, Abuja Airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has partnered with MTN Nigeria to provide free WiFi services at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The service was officially launched on Thursday at the Lagos terminal.

FAAN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Olubunmi Kuku, who was represented at the event by the Director of Airport Operations, Abdullahi Mahmood, said the initiative is part of efforts to improve passenger experience and expand digital infrastructure at Nigerian airports.

According to FAAN, the service will be extended to the MMIA temporary terminal and other international airports across the country within the next three months.

Officials said the project is structured as a public-private partnership between FAAN and MTN Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, who represented the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, said the company would ensure the service remains reliable and secure.

While FAAN described the rollout as a step toward modernising airport facilities, details of the funding model and long-term maintenance structure were not disclosed at the launch.

Airport users have long complained about limited or unreliable internet connectivity at major Nigerian terminals, particularly during peak travel periods.

However, FAAN did not immediately indicate whether the free service would be time-limited per user or subject to bandwidth restrictions.

By: Enoch Epelle

Aviation

Payment Of Cash: FAAN set February 28 Dateline in Nigeria Airport

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, has firmly reiterated the Authority’s resolve to fully implement a cashless payment system across all airport payment points nationwide, effective February 28, 2026.

The reaffirmation came during a visit by executives and members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), who sought clarification on the decision to discontinue cash transactions at airports in Lagos last Thursday.

The engagement provided an opportunity for robust dialogue, reflecting FAAN’s open-door policy and commitment to inclusive stakeholder consultation.

According to a statement by Henry Agbebire, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, the MD/CE emphasised that the transition to a cashless system is not only in line with global best practices in aviation management but also consistent with Federal Government directives aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency.

She referenced a Treasury Circular dated November 24, 2025, issued by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and signed by the Accountant General, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, mandating the cessation of cash transactions in all government dealings.

The directive followed approval by the Federal Executive Council for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to discontinue physical cash collections and payments as part of broader public finance reforms.

According to the MD/CE, “There is no going back on this decision.” She stressed that the cashless initiative aligns FAAN with national financial management reforms while positioning Nigeria’s airports for greater operational integrity, improved service delivery, and stronger revenue assurance.

Importantly, Mrs. Kuku noted that the reform also forms part of FAAN’s broader strategic agenda to deepen stakeholder engagement by fostering transparency, building trust, and ensuring that partners, unions, concessionaires, and service providers are carried along in key operational decisions.

By proactively engaging NUATE and other critical stakeholders, FAAN continues to demonstrate that institutional reforms and stakeholder collaboration must go hand in hand.Beyond compliance with government policy, the MD/CE highlighted the enormous benefits of a cashless system to the aviation ecosystem, including reduction in leakages, improved transaction traceability, faster service delivery, and enhanced public confidence in airport operations.

Addressing concerns raised about the use of Paystack as a third-party platform, she clarified that Paystack merely serves as a payment gateway for processing transactions.

She assured stakeholders that no revenue is paid into any Paystack account, as all payments are made directly from Point of Sale (POS) terminals into designated Federal Government accounts.

The NUATE delegation was comprehensively briefed on the processes and strategies put in place to ensure a seamless transition by the February 28, 2026 deadline.

At the end of the engagement, the Union members expressed satisfaction with the explanations provided and acknowledged that the implementation framework is both tenable and practical.

The move marks another significant milestone in FAAN’s ongoing reform agenda, reinforcing its commitment to modernising airport operations, strengthening institutional accountability, and promoting constructive engagement with stakeholders across the aviation value chain.

By: Enoch Epelle

Aviation

Aviation Professionals Want Agencies Boards’ Inauguration

Published

7 months ago

July 28, 2025

The Tide

As a measure to curb corruption and restore accountability, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), has called on the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to push for the urgent formation and inauguration of governing boards for all other aviation agencies.
ANAP’s Secretary General, AbdulRasaq Saidu, made this call at the weekend when interacting with aviation correspondents, in reaction to recent inauguration of Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Keyamo had recently inaugurated the FAAN board, more than six months after its members were appointed by President Bola Tinubu, where Dr. Umar Ganduje was named Board Chairman, with FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, as the Vice Chairman.
Other board members include representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Defence, Tourism, and Aviation, as well as professionals from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, and FAAN’s legal department.
The ANAP scribe there urged the aviation Minister not to stop at FAAN but to ensure that all aviation parastatals are given functional boards to restore order and credibility to the sector.
He, however, commended Keyamo for recently inaugurating the board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria but stressed that more needed to be done.
Saidu also warned that the continued delay in constituting boards for other aviation agencies creates room for unchecked abuses, including illegal contracts, fraudulent employment practices, and mismanagement.
“The absence of governing boards violates the enabling Acts that established these agencies. Only properly constituted boards can enforce discipline, ensure due process in decision-making, and provide oversight to prevent corruption”, Saidu said.
He emphasised that the aviation unions, including ANAP, have consistently raised concerns about poor governance and lack of transparency within the aviation system.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to act swiftly by appointing board members for all relevant agencies, in the interest of fairness and aviation safety.
Saidu also tackled the former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, for failing to inaugurate any boards during his eight-year tenure, despite appointments being made by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“ANAP raised the alarm several times under Sirika’s leadership, but nothing changed. That lapse has continued under the current administration, and it must be addressed now”, Saidu stated.

By: Corlins Walter