Key players in Nigeria’s aviation sector have strongly condemned the Federal Government’s decision to refund funds spent by state governments on building airports.
According to aviation experts, many state-owned airports are not financially viable and have burdened the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The latest controversy arose from including N4 billion in the 2025 budget as a refund to the Kebbi State Government for constructing the Birnin Kebbi Airport.
This allocation was listed as an “ongoing” project in the budget proposal submitted by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to the National Assembly.
Industry experts argue that many state governments build airports without proper planning, only to request the Federal Government to take over and reimburse them later. A source within the sector claimed that states engage in airport construction primarily to divert public funds.
“The state governments want to have their cake and eat it too. They rush to build airports and then lobby the Federal Government for a takeover and reimbursement,” the source stated. “In the last five years, the Federal Government has taken over at least three airports in Kebbi, Jigawa, and Gombe states. This is just adding more financial strain on FAAN.”
Veteran labor leader Comrade Olayinka Abioye criticized the trend, calling it unnecessary and wasteful. He pointed to the construction of Ekiti Airport as an example, arguing that its proximity to Akure Airport makes it redundant.
“I never saw any justification for Ekiti State to build an airport,” Abioye said. “Now, they have a problem. Akure Airport is nearby, yet Ekiti spent billions constructing an airport that may struggle to attract passengers.”
Former Acting Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Abdullahi Sidi, noted that most state-owned airports do not generate revenue or offer significant economic benefits. He argued that state governments should instead focus on essential infrastructure like schools and roads.
“FAAN already manages over 22 airports, many of which struggle to remain operational,” Sidi explained. “For example, Sokoto and Maiduguri airports only have a few flights daily, while Dutse Airport has none. Ogun State Cargo Airport is another example of wasteful spending with no commercial flights.”
Captain Mohammed Badamasi also criticized the Federal Government for reimbursing states without prior agreements stating that the airports were built on behalf of the central government.
“The state governments don’t have a clear vision for these projects,” he said. “They just want refunds because running an airport is expensive and rarely profitable. It could take years before the N4 billion refunded to Kebbi State is recovered, if at all.”
In October 2024, the National Assembly approved over N24 billion in refunds to Kebbi and Nasarawa states for airport construction. The Federal Government took over the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin-Kebbi and the Lafia Cargo Airport, reimbursing Kebbi State with N15.1 billion and Nasarawa State with N9.5 billion.
Similarly, in 2022, the Gombe State Government requested an N11 billion refund after the Federal Government took over its airport for both commercial and military use.
Many industry experts urge the Federal Government to stop taking over state-owned airports, warning that such decisions create financial liabilities and divert resources from more pressing national needs.
