The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) recently renamed nine airports in northern Nigeria, but two among them are not functional, WikkiTimes can report.
In a memo dated June 19 and signed by Olatunji Joke, FAAN’s Director Airports Operations, 15 airports were named after some prominent Nigerians, including former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I am directed to refer to a memo with reference number, FMA/T4464/7090/17B/647 dated 1st June, 2023 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation on the naming of some federal airports after notable Nigerians,” she stated. “Please kindly be informed that the under-listed Airports have been renamed by the President as part of reforms of the Aviation sector…”
The renamed airports are listed below:
| Former names | Present names to be changed to. |
| Dutse Airport | Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi |
| Gombe Airport | Brigadier Zakari Maimalari |
| Kaduna Airport | Hassan Usman Katsina |
| Maiduguri Airport | Gen.Muhammadu Buhari |
| Makurdi Airport | Joseph Sarwuan Tarka |
| Minna Airport | Mallam Abubakar Usman |
| Nasarawa Airport | Sheikh Usman Danfodio |
| Yola Airport | Lamido Aliyu Mustapha |
| Port-Harcourt Airport | Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo |
| Osubi Airport | Alfred Diete Spiff |
| Ilorin Airport | Gen.Tunde Idiagbon |
| Ebonyi Airport | Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo |
| Benin Airport | Oba Akenzua11 |
| Akure Airport | Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu |
| Ibadan Airport | Samuel Ladoke Akintola |
Out of the nine airports renamed in northern Nigeria, only five are functional. They are Maiduguri Airport [Gen.Muhammadu Buhari], Dutse Airport [Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi], Yola Airport [Lamido Aliyu Mustapha], Gombe Airport [Brigadier Zakari Maimalari].
Also, the Makurdi and Kaduna airports are functional.
NON-FUNCTIONAL RENAMED AIRPORTS
According to WikkiTimes’ findings, four of the renamed airports in the not are not operating.
- Nasarawa Airport [Sheikh Usman Danfodio] : It is a Cargo Airport but not fully functional. The Federal Government said it was going to compensate the Nasarawa state Government for the money spent in building the Cargo commercial Airport in Lafia, the state capital. Also, the federal government announced that it was taking over the affairs of the airport.
- Minna Airport [Mallam Abubakar Usman]: WikkiTimes reliably gathered that the airport has not not been operating for a while. A resident who wished not to be named said pilgrims for this year’s Hajj could not depart to Saudi Arabia from Minna. They were transported to Abuja from where they were airlifted. The situation was the same last year as pilgrims accused the Niger State Government and Pilgrims Welfare Board of a nonchalant attitude towards the planning process of the Hajj operations in the state.
