Government Subsidising 19 Out Of 22 Nigeria’s Airports – FAAN

The Federal Government is subsidising 19 out of the 22 international and domestic airports in Nigeria.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) made this known, adding that only three of the 22 airports are profitable.

The Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.

According to Kuku, 19 of the nation’s airports are being subsidised as they do not get passenger traffic commensurate with their operational cost.

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She added that the majority of the 22 airports managed by FAAN require an upgrade of critical infrastructure: the terminal areas, the landside as well as the airside.

The FAAN boss said many of the runways at the airports in the country have exceeded the 20-year validity period and were due for an upgrade, noting that the airport authority would focus on some of these developmental goals this year.

According to her, economic activities in states where airports are built drive passenger traffic and not the construction of new airports.

She said rather than the construction of new airports by some state governors, they should focus on boosting manufacturing, trade, and tourism activities in their domains to increase passenger traffic and revenue.