FAAN Partners Firm to Give Akure Airport Facelift

•14,000 skilled workers to be engaged

Fidelis David in Akure

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday said it has concluded arrangements with a private company, Ala Resort Ltd, to develop, transform and boost the Akure Airport to an aerotropolis city.

The General Manager, Business Development, FAAN Headquarters, Mr. Hycinth Ngwu, who stated this while addressing journalists in Akure, the state capital, said the decision was anchored on private-public partnership geared towards developing an aerotropolis in the airport.

He emphasised that the airport landmass was three times bigger in size than the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, disclosed that the project was a revolution in the way the authority generates revenue.

Ngwu, assured that the project, which the groundbreaking would hold on Tuesday, would be executed as planned, adding that Akure Airport would become the cynosure of all eyes.

He added: It’s of the interest of all stakeholders to support the project. It will increase revenue base of the state and local government. Certainly majority of the employees will come from the locality. They should support it because it will transform to their successes.

“We intend to replicate this in other airports. We started in Akure because it initially had the largest land mass before being overtaken recently by Abuja Airport.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the resort, Mr. Moyosola Niran-Oladunni, explained that the company’s ideas would impact value on the state, stressing that the Aerotropolis City, which would be first of its kind in sub-sahara Africa, would drive lives around aviation industry.

According to Niran-Oladunni, the resort begun the move since 2017, when experts were invited to assess the airport for its suitability for the project.

He revealed that FAAN had approved the project, which he said would be constructed in phases including institutional, industrial, commercial and agricultural.

According to him, the Aerotropolis City would have institutional zone including sports academy that could host any club, which would be built by Emirate Foundation, medical centre, to be built by a US company.

The industrial zone would also enable all materials to be used for the construction to be assembled and manufactured in the sector within.

Niran-Oladunni added that the Aerotropolis has the potential to catalyse cargo business in the airport, saying the airport authority would activate the cargo shed in the airport.

He disclosed that no fewer than 14,000 skilled workers would be engaged by the Aerotropolis City which the infrastructure facilities would gulp N56billion.

Mrs. Lynda Ezike, Airport manager, Akure, assured that the management and staff of the airport were expectant and ready to support the proposed unprecedented developmental mega project in the airport.

“We are ready to support Ala Resort Ltd in ensuring the success of this mega project which is for the betterment of all stakeholders,” she said.