Punch reports that the Federal Government plans to concession the management of the Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano airports to private investors.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Lagos during a fact-finding tour of facilities and agencies at the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
The minister said the planned concession of the four airports was to guarantee efficiency and good management in view of dwindling resources from the government for infrastructural development in the aviation industry.
Although, Amaechi did not disclose the airports that would be privatised, there were indications that the Lagos airport; the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; the Port Harcourt International Airport; and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano were the aerodromes slated for concession.
Amaechi also gave December 2016 as the deadline for the completion of the four major international airport terminals under construction in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.
He stated that after completion, the Lagos airport would handle 15 million passengers annually, while the others would handle additional 15 million passengers to bring the total traffic to 30 million passengers annually.
The minister said, “The new terminal in Lagos will generate additional 15 million passengers annually, making a total of 30 million passengers yearly nationwide. The medium and long-term plans will require significant investments to upgrade and expand infrastructure to meet current and future requirements.
“As a result of limited resources for capital project development, the government is exploring the possibility of private sector participation towards the realisation of the industries’ potential.” (Punch)