The federal and state governments have been cautioned against the proliferation of airports as the existing ones are not viable.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, recently said more airports are underway. During a budget defence at the Senate, he said about 10 more airports are being built.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) manages 22 airports while few other airports are under the purview of states and a private entity.
But the federal government had given an indication that it would take over the management of some of the airports amidst caution from stakeholders.
Apart from the Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt airports, many others are regarded as not too viable to drive the required revenue to maintain them.
An aviation security consultant and Secretary-General of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Group Capt. John Ojikutu, said it does not make any economic sense to build more airports when the government is planning to concession the ones it owns.
“Only Lagos and Abuja are viable; both contribute more than 70% of the national passengers and air traffic and contribute over 70% in commercial aviation earnings. Yet they are slated for concession because their earnings cannot sustain them and the remaining airports.”
He said the minister of aviation “should not have the exclusive right to concession any airport of joint user with the military without the consent of the minister of defence, national security council, and the Commander-In-Chief in council.”
A member of the aviation roundtable, Mr. Ayo Obilana, said there is no logic in building new airports when the existing ones are not viable.
“Out of The 23 or so airports in the country, only about four are viable, so what is the logic behind building new ones then,” he asked.
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