President Bola Tinubu has approved the privatisation of operations at Port Harcourt International Airport, while simultaneously placing a nationwide ban on the sale or transfer of properties belonging to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The new directives were announced by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, after Thursday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.
Keyamo said the President had “ordered a strict prohibition on the sale or transfer of any properties owned by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) located within or adjacent to airport areas.”
He stressed that the facilities are critical to housing essential airport personnel such as air traffic controllers, firefighters, and technical staff who must live within proximity to airport grounds for emergency response purposes.
“These properties will not be handed over to private entities. If anyone thinks they’ve acquired one, they should reconsider,” the minister said.
While FAAN’s assets remain under government protection, the council also approved the commencement of an economic viability study for the privatisation of Port Harcourt International Airport. The move, according to Keyamo, represents a cautious step toward limited private sector participation in airport management.
He revealed that the project had already generated significant investor interest. “Prior to our tenure, there was no interest at all. Today, more than six firms are vying for the opportunity,” he said, assuring that “no staff redundancies would result from the deal.”
Keyamo noted that the decision aligns with President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda aimed at unlocking private capital while safeguarding strategic national assets.
He also hinted that the model adopted for Port Harcourt could later guide future public-private partnerships in other airports, depending on the success of the pilot phase.
Appealing to aviation unions for cooperation, Keyamo reiterated his commitment to workers’ welfare but stressed that “labour organisations cannot override executive decisions.”
“I am pro-union, pro-workers, but we must move the industry forward responsibly,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed that the administration remains committed to modernising Nigeria’s airports without compromising public ownership of critical infrastructure.
