The Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu may serve as the first operational example of the Federal Government’s airport concession programme, according to Chris Aligbe, a former public affairs manager at the defunct Nigeria Airways and current CEO of Belujane Konzult.
Mr Aligbe spoke about the airport’s concession in an interview published on February 21, 2026.
He shared his views on developments in Nigeria’s aviation sector in 2025, including regulatory performance, airline operations and the recent airport concession agreement signed for Enugu’s facility.
Airport concession refers to a public‑private partnership in which a private party is granted certain rights to operate, upgrade or finance an airport under agreed terms while the owner retains ultimate control.
Mr Aligbe noted that attempts to concession other Nigerian airports such as Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt had not succeeded in the past, and that the Enugu arrangement could therefore be the government’s first real application of the model.
He also spoke about the need for clarity on long‑term airport capacity, projected passenger numbers and infrastructure improvements over the concession period, citing industry standards for airport concession planning.
Mr Aligbe said that clear milestones and performance expectations are typically part of airport concession terms, including how facilities may expand or improve by certain future dates.
He mentioned that the concession’s terms and conditions had not been made publicly available, making it difficult to assess how it compares with global concession practices.
The Enugu Airport concession could shape how future public‑private airport partnerships are structured in Nigeria. Successful implementation under transparent and measurable terms may encourage broader private sector involvement in aviation infrastructure.
Clarifying concession terms and projected improvements could help businesses, airlines, and passengers understand expected service levels and future capacity growth at the airport.
