The aviation minister says major airport developments in Abia and Enugu are expected to boost trade, ease cargo movement and open new international routes for the South-east.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says Nigeria is negotiating direct cargo flight operations between China and the South-east through Enugu, with plans to begin operations before the end of the year.
Mr Keyamo spoke on Thursday during the unveiling of two Boeing 737-800 aircraft acquired by United Nigeria Airlines.
“Just two days ago, the Enugu governor and I were actively negotiating the first direct cargo flight from Guangzhou, China, straight into Enugu. We are targeting December for the maiden flight. This will allow our Southeast merchants and traders in China to consolidate their goods into unified cargo accounts twice a week, flying straight into Enugu for seamless delivery to hubs like Onitsha and Aba,” he said.
He noted that the plan aims to improve trade logistics and strengthen commercial activities in the region.
Mr Keyamo said the Enugu International Airport is being repositioned as a cargo hub for the South-east under a new operational framework that involves private-sector participation.
“One of our prides in the South is the Enugu International Airport. The Enugu governor approached Mr President, noting that the airport was not maximising its economic potential under standard bureaucratic structures, and requested to bring in private investors to run it. Mr President gave the green light,” Keyamo explained.
“As I speak with you, Enugu airport is now fully privately owned and run under the direction of the state government, with the clear objective of turning it into a dedicated cargo hub for the entire South-east,” he added.
Mr Keyamo added that construction work on the runway of the Abia State International Airport in Umuahia is at an advanced stage.
He said the project, which began as a basic airstrip, was expanded into a full international airport with federal approval and increased state funding.
“The first thing we did when we came to power was that I went to Mr President and said, ‘Abia does not have an airstrip or airport in the whole of the South.’ He was surprised, and we ensured it was captured as one of our first critical projects in the 2024 budget,” Mr Keyamo stated.
The minister added that the Abia State government also played a key role by increasing its financial commitment to upgrade the project.
“Credit to Dr Alex Otti—he did not stop at that. When we scheduled an airstrip, he went straight to Mr President behind me and said, ‘Sir, bring the money budgeted for the airstrip, I have counterpart funding. I will now make it a full international airport. He is bringing his own state’s resources to the table. In fact, let me confess today: Abia State has injected its counterpart funding far ahead of the Federal Government’s allocation. Our money is coming, but work has advanced rapidly under his guidance.”
Governor Alex Otti said he hopes United Nigeria Airlines will establish a major operational base at the airport once it is completed.
Mr Keyamo said the Federal Government is introducing measures to strengthen domestic airlines and expand their access to international routes.
“We are giving United Nigeria Airlines fruitful reciprocal routes, including New York, Canada, and Dubai. We are only looking for the equipment to run these routes right now,” he said.
He also stated that the government has approved the establishment of a state-backed leasing company to support local airlines’ aircraft acquisition.
“I went to Mr President to advocate for local operators who face strict international leasing hurdles. He has formally approved the establishment of the Nigerian Aircraft Leasing Company,” Keyamo concluded.
“This company will exist solely to bring in aircraft under a solid government guarantee through private dry-lease agreements, which will then be sub-leased directly to our domestic airlines. We are already in the process of taking this,” he stated.
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