By Austin Okolie
Guest columnist
In recent weeks, discussions have swirled around the proposed concession of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA), Enugu. These conversations reflect the emotional, cultural, and economic importance of the airport to the people of the South East region. For many, the Enugu Airport is beyond just a transit point, but an emotional symbol of regional identity, global access, and long-overdue inclusion in Nigeria’s international aviation landscape.
Put another way, given the peculiar history, especially the post war history of Ndigbo, the airport can be likened to the status that Rangers International Football Club of Enugu holds in the hearts of the people of South Easterners. This is given the fact that the region was the last to get an international airport among the all the six geopolitical zones, despite the fact that they are business people and travellers, but also given the protracted struggles of many years that eventually birthed the designation of the airport as an international aviation facility by the Musa Yar’Adua Administration. Since then, it has witnessed the affirmation of this international status, award of the initial contract for the facility upgrade by the Federal Executive Council meeting presided by former President Goodluck Jonathan on October 19, 2010, legislative intervention by the Enugu State Caucus of the 6th National Assembly to augment funds for the airport upgrade from constituency funds (budgetary envelop) meant for the state, major work on the runway by the Muhammadu Buhari Administration, and of course several obstacles, some of which bothered on wilful sabotage.
Therefore, given the significance of this infrastructure, it is only natural that questions have arisen around the current concessioning effort by the Federal Government: Is the airport being sold off? Are private interests taking over? What does this mean for the South East? Who is behind the project? Is the South East losing its only international airport? These are valid concerns – and they deserve clear, factual, and honest answers.
Unequivocally speaking, the airport is not being sold. What is being proposed is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession, a well-established global model that allows for private investment in public infrastructure while preserving public ownership and regulatory oversight. In this case, the concession allows a credible private partner to invest in, operate, and maintain the airport over a fixed term, while government agencies—federal and state—retain full supervisory authority. This is not privatization. It is a strategic investment arrangement.
It is also natural for concerned persons to wonder, why the concessioning? The reality is that no single tier of government can single-handedly carry the financial and operational burden of sustaining, upgrading, and expanding critical infrastructure like an international airport. AIIA is a prime example.
Despite its designation as one of Nigeria’s five international airports, Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) remains only partially completed and is not yet fully operational to international standards. Key infrastructure components are either incomplete or require significant upgrades. Operational efficiency is constrained, and the runway, arguably the most critical safety and performance asset recently experienced a shutdown due to emergency repairs, further underscoring the urgent need for substantial capital investment.
Ndigbo, therefore, remain grateful to the President Bola Tinubu and the Hon. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for their responsiveness and continued collaboration in addressing these challenges. The ongoing efforts by the federal authorities to prioritize AIIA within national aviation development plans serve as a strong foundation for the proposed concession – one that will unlock the airport’s full potential for the Southeast and the nation at large.
The inclusion of the runway in the concession scope is actually the major factor behind the various longer term concession proposals being considered, but yet to be finalised. Agreed that globally, airport concessions typically range from 25 to 30 years, but this is for fully completed, operational airports. AIIA demands not only significant capital for full development, but also long-term runway maintenance and performance guarantees. Therefore, the proposed terms account for the scale of investment, the long asset recovery cycle, and the need to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery over time. This is not an arbitrary number – it is based on global benchmarks and justified by the scale of the work required.
Again, one of the most transformational components of the AIIA concession is the development of a dedicated cargo terminal, which will be built from scratch. This greenfield development is expected to open a new frontier for the South East, unlocking vast economic potential in export logistics, agro-processing, pharmaceutical shipments, e-commerce, and light manufacturing.
This cargo terminal is a fresh, ground-up development that will bring the region into alignment with global air cargo standards. It will serve businesses across the five Southeast states and beyond – positioning AIIA as a hub for both passengers, and for regional trade and industrialization.
Understandably, many have equally asked: Who exactly is behind the project? Who is the concessionaire and technical partner? The concessionaire is backed by Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP) – a Pan-African infrastructure developer with a strong track record across the continent in logistics, transport, and industrial ecosystems. Arise IIP is not a speculative or anonymous group. Their performance and potential have been evaluated by relevant regulatory bodies, including the Federal Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), all of whom conducted due diligence visits to their flagship projects.
Their involvement brings with it technical credibility, financial capacity, and global best practices to ensure that the project is a deliverable, bankable, and accountable project.
The other question is: what is Enugu’s role in all of this? Is Enugu a Spectator or strategic driver? As the host state and the promoter, Enugu State is certainly not a bystander. The Enugu State Government has been deeply involved in shaping this project from the onset. Under the leadership of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the State is not only safeguarding regional interests, but aligning the concession with its broader Multimodal Transport Vision.
This vision includes launching Enugu Air, a state-supported airline to boost regional connectivity; deploying a modern CNG bus fleet (200) to ease urban mobility, completed construction of multimodal transport terminals at Holy Ghost, Nsukka, Gariki and Abakpa, building logistics hubs, trailer parks, and vehicle assembly plants as well as initiating a regional rail development framework in collaboration with other Southeast states. Within this framework, the AIIA concession is not an isolated transaction. It is a strategic anchor in a much larger plan to position Enugu and the South East as a logistics and connectivity powerhouse for West Africa and even Africa.
Consequently, while some concerns and healthy discourse are quite welcome, it is also imperative to separate fact from fear. This is not a backdoor sale. It is not a loss or the end of our regional pride, AIIA. It is, in fact, the beginning of a better, bolder era for Southeast aviation – one that ensures the airport finally works for our people, our businesses, and our future. It is about regional prosperity, job creation, trade enablement, and infrastructure transformation.
AIIA belongs to the South East; and this concession is how to ensure it finally takes off – sustainably, professionally, and economically.
• _Okolie, PhD, a Management Consultant, is a former State Director, National Orientation Agency_