A collective of influential Igbo intellectuals, traditional leaders, and stakeholders known as the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT) has formally denounced the Federal Government’s decision to hand over management of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu to a private entity. The group characterized the move by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration as a clear instance of systemic bias against the South-East region.
Last Thursday, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo officially transferred the airport to Aero Alliance Limited, a concessionaire entering a 30-year partnership to manage and upgrade the facility, a process supported by Enugu State Governor Peter Mba. However, the ILT argued that ending federal funding for this specific airport poses significant risks to operational standards, passenger safety, and overall infrastructure maintenance.
The organization highlighted that Enugu’s facility is currently the only international airport in Nigeria designated for private management, while the other five remain under federal oversight and funding. They pointed out inconsistencies in the government’s approach, noting that the administration recently cancelled concession plans for the Lagos airport in favor of massive federal investment through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund. Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi and Prof. Jerry Chukwuokolo, representing the ILT, stated that the group intends to challenge the privatization through all available legal channels, asserting that the facility requires continued federal support to function properly.
