By Investigations Desk
The Federal Government’s decision to concession the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to Aero Alliance is being celebrated as a milestone in Nigeria’s aviation reforms. Yet a closer examination of the concessionaire and its principals raises significant questions about transparency, corporate capacity and public accountability.
At the centre of the debate is not whether airport concessions are desirable—they can be an effective Public-Private Partnership model—but whether Nigerians have been given enough information to evaluate the company entrusted with operating one of the country’s strategic aviation assets.
A Newly Incorporated Company
Official announcements show that the Federal Executive Council approved the concession in July 2025 and that the agreement was formally executed in January 2026. Even at the signing ceremony, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo acknowledged that issues relating to security charges and the airport’s financial model were still being resolved. (Punch Newspapers)
Publicly available corporate information indicates that Aero Alliance was incorporated in July 2024—roughly a year before the concession approval. Industry commentary has noted that the company does not have a publicly documented record of managing airports in Nigeria. (Aviation Monitor)
For a concession expected to last decades, this naturally prompts questions about the experience, technical capacity and competitive strengths that distinguished the company from more established airport operators.
The Two Men Behind Aero Alliance
Corporate records identify two principal figures behind Aero Alliance: Enwereonu Chukwudi Kester and Okibe Oga Adaji.
Mr. Kester has an established professional background as a lawyer and businessman and has held board positions in the power sector. Mr. Adaji, by contrast, has a much more limited public profile, with little publicly available information concerning previous leadership of airport, airline or aviation infrastructure projects.
The absence of extensive public information does not imply a lack of competence. However, where a company is entrusted with a strategic public asset, greater transparency about its principals, experience and financial capacity is a legitimate public expectation.
A Familiar Name in Enugu’s Utility Sector
One aspect of the concession deserves particular public attention.
Mr. Kester also serves publicly in a leadership role with MainPower Electricity Distribution Ltd., the company licensed to operate electricity distribution within Enugu State under the state’s electricity market reforms.
MainPower is one of the flagship private-sector participants in Governor Peter Mbah’s electricity reform programme and has appeared alongside state officials during major policy announcements.
There is no public evidence that Mr. Kester’s involvement with MainPower influenced the airport concession process, nor is there evidence of any improper relationship with the Governor. Nevertheless, the fact that the same individual is associated with two major infrastructure ventures connected to Enugu State is likely to attract public scrutiny.
That scrutiny should be answered with facts rather than speculation.
Transparency Is the Missing Ingredient
Several critical documents remain unavailable to the public, including:
- The full concession agreement.
- The procurement and evaluation criteria.
- Aero Alliance’s technical qualifications.
- Details of any technical partners.
- Investment commitments and funding sources.
- Revenue-sharing arrangements.
- Performance obligations and enforcement mechanisms.
- Any financial exposure of Enugu State, if applicable.
Without these disclosures, it is difficult for citizens to independently assess whether the concession represents the best value for money.
Beyond the Headlines
Supporters describe the concession as a transformational achievement. Critics argue that the public has been asked to celebrate before being shown the details.
Ultimately, neither optimism nor scepticism should determine public opinion.
Transparency should.
Akanu Ibiam International Airport is a strategic national asset. Confidence in its concession will depend not on political messaging but on open disclosure of the process, the qualifications of the concessionaire, and the safeguards protecting the public interest.
Until those questions are answered comprehensively, the Aero Alliance concession will remain not merely an aviation story, but a governance story—one that deserves continued public attention.
