The Federal Government has signed a concession agreement transferring the management and development of the Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to private operator PH Airport Limited.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Group Managing Director of PH Airport Limited, Eyo Asuquo, following consultations with aviation labour unions.
The 30-year concession is part of the government’s efforts to attract private investment, improve airport infrastructure and strengthen operational efficiency across the country’s aviation sector.
Speaking after the agreement, Asuquo said the company was committed to upgrading airport facilities, improving operational standards and expanding economic activities around the facility.
He described Port Harcourt’s strategic location within the Gulf of Guinea as an opportunity to position the airport as an important gateway for regional commerce, investment and connectivity.
Meanwhile, aviation labour unions endorsed the agreement after receiving assurances that existing workers would not lose their jobs as a result of the arrangement.
The union representatives, led by Ben Nnabue, said workers’ welfare and job security remained central to their support for the concession.
The development is expected to create opportunities for increased private-sector participation in Nigeria’s aviation industry, while raising questions about the effective monitoring of concession agreements and the protection of public infrastructure.
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