In July, at the commissioning ceremony marking the start of construction for an international airport in Gusau, Zamfara state, Governor Dauda Lawal extolled the “enormous economic benefits and multiplier effects” of such a venture. He claimed, “the airport will have a tremendous impact on the ease of doing business and other social interactions.”
While the economic benefits of airports are undeniable, one must question the prioritization of such a project in a struggling state like Zamfara, which is grappling with the menace of banditry. In a hierarchy of needs, an airport project should rank low on the list of priorities for such a state. Similarly, the federal government recently approved an airstrip for Abia state, with Governor Alex Otti already seeking its upgrade to an airport, even before the airstrip’s completion.
This trend of multi-billion-naira airport projects has been observed across many states, often at the expense of more critical investments in education, health, and agriculture. Critics argue that these state-level airport projects are driven more by political considerations than economic benefits or commercial viability. To compound the issue, states often find themselves subsidising airlines that serve these airports, further draining their limited resources.
Nigeria currently boasts 33 airports, 13 airstrips, four military airfields, and 128 helipad sites. In the previous year, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) recorded approximately 15.89 million passengers, a decrease from the 16.17 million passengers in 2022. Given the current economic downturn and hyperinflation, this figure is likely to decline further by year’s end. Lagos airport alone accounts for 65% of air traffic, while Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano collectively make up the remaining 35%. The traffic at other airports is so insignificant that it hardly justifies their designation as airports. A viable airport should ideally handle between 500,000 to one million passengers annually. Consequently, most of these other airports are unprofitable, and their precarious situation is only exacerbated by the addition of new airports.
The federal government’s encouragement of this airport proliferation is perplexing. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo justified the need for more airports by describing them as “social amenities for the people,” adding that in a vast and geopolitically sensitive country like Nigeria, “you want to ensure that infrastructure is evenly distributed.” This reasoning, however, is flawed. Airports are often white elephant projects and catering to a small percentage of the population who might use these services is not a fair representation of even distribution or political balancing. Airports should be economically viable and profitable, not driven by emotional or political considerations.
In November 2021, a Senate debate on state-owned airports revealed the wastefulness of these projects. Smart Adeyemi, then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, advocated for airstrips instead of full-fledged airports, noting that many state-owned airports barely record 100,000 passengers annually. He advised governors to redirect the resources spent on these projects (often around N20 billion) towards welfare-driven initiatives that would directly benefit their citizens.
The focus on airport construction also raises questions about road infrastructure development. Governors often cite poor road conditions and safety concerns as justifications for airports, but it is these same leaders who are responsible for road maintenance and security. This apparent neglect of basic infrastructure in favour of personal convenience is a clear abdication of responsibility to the electorate.
State-owned airports face numerous challenges, including low patronage, poor maintenance, high operational costs, multiple taxation, and excessive service charges. Moreover, the neglect of road and rail connections, which have broader appeal and better linkage to rural areas, runs counter to the principles of good governance.
We urge for the consolidation and closure of unviable airports. Governors should set aside petty political differences and utilise existing airports in neighbouring states. The proximity of airports in Jos, Bauchi, and Gombe, or in Sokoto, Kebbi, and now Gusau, demonstrates the economic inefficiency of these projects. In these challenging times of hyperinflation and scarce resources, governors would do well to prioritise projects that directly impact the welfare of their people rather than wasting resources on unnecessary airports.