The Federal Executive Council in May 2023 approved the concession of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to the Corporation American Airport Consortium for the duration of 20 years.
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The Senate has condemned, in strong terms, the concession of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, as public interest was not factored in the process.
To this end, it mandated its Committee on Aviation to investigate the concession of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and other Airports in a bid to reverse the agreement.
This was contained in a motion stating the urgent need to reverse the concession of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu (Kano South) at Thursday’s plenary.
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In his debate, Kawu informed that the approval for the concession was issued by the federal government in May, 2023, also regretted that the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace currently does not own or operate any airport in the country.
“The Federal Executive Council on 17th May 2023 approved the concessioning of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano for 40 years to Messrs Corporacion America Airports Consortium.
Aware that the Federal Ministry of Aviation (and Aerospace) does not run or own any Airport in Nigeria and that by the dictates of the Governing Act of the Federal Government Airports are fully vested in the authority.
Also aware that the infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) procedure document states with respect to the agency that wishes to concession a facility that “The public entity should have enabling authority to transfer its responsibility enabling legal and policy framework or an Administrative Order To that effect.”
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Raising concerns about the rational in borrowing and spending public funds to upgrade the Airport, the lawmaker noted that they end up handing it over to foreign businesses for a period of 30 years in the name of concession.
“Alarmed that Nigeria is receiving a concession fee or upfront of $1.5m while the total amount, while the total amount that Kano Airport is accruing to the Government is $97.4m,” he further said.
Lawmakers who supported this motion are Abdu Ahmed Ningi (Bauch Central), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Ali Ndume (Borno South), and David Jimkuta (Taraba South), amongst others.
The Senate resolved further urged the Federal government to review the entire exercise and provide a level playing field to all stakeholders.
