The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has condemned the rehabilitation work done on the runway of Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, describing it as substandard and a major safety hazard.
The federal government, he announced, has taken the decision to close the runway for two weeks beginning April 22, 2025, to carry out urgent repair works.
In a statement shared on his official X handle on Saturday, Keyamo explained that the closure was necessary due to the worsening condition of the runway, which now poses a significant risk to passengers.
“Dear compatriots, we have been compelled to take this decision to close the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for two weeks starting from April 22nd, 2025, in order to carry out major repair works on it,” he stated.
Keyamo expressed deep dissatisfaction with the previous rehabilitation project, which lasted a year and was completed in 2019. According to him, the core issue of waterlogging, which should have been addressed during the earlier project, was not properly resolved. This failure has led to recurring structural damage, including cracks and potholes along the runway.
“Unfortunately, when we came to the office, we discovered that the waterlogged part of the runway was not properly constructed to take care of the problem, leading to constant cracks and potholes on the runway. These obviously put the lives of the travelling public at great risk,” he said.
The minister, who personally inspected the airport after assuming office, said he found the quality of work done by the contractor to be unacceptable.
“I personally visited the airport some months after assuming office and expressed my total displeasure with the work done by the contractor,” he revealed.
Despite efforts to maintain the runway through palliative measures, the situation has continued to deteriorate, he said, with minor cracks now expanding into more severe surface damage.
“We have been carrying out constant palliative works on it, but the problem has not abated, and the cracks on the runway are becoming craters,” Keyamo added.
While acknowledging the inconvenience the temporary closure may cause, the minister offered an apology to the public and assured that alternative arrangements are being made to minimise the disruption. Flight operations originally scheduled for Enugu will be redirected to neighbouring airports throughout the repair period.
“We sincerely apologise to Nigerians over this development as the airport is our major international gateway in the Southeastern part of Nigeria.
“In the meantime, scheduled flight operations to Enugu will be diverted to other neighbouring airports. We are going to work tirelessly to meet the timeline in order to mitigate the inconvenience this closure will cause the travelling public,” he said.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria also confirmed the closure in an official statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah.
