Aviation Reform: Keyamo Secures Workers’ Support for Enugu Airport Concession
Oru Leonard
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has brokered a truce with major aviation unions over the planned concession of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
At a high-level meeting convened by the minister, leaders of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) engaged in extensive discussions aimed at resolving concerns surrounding workers’ welfare, job security, and the long-term viability of the airport under private management.
According to the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the talks were frank and productive, ultimately leading to a consensus that balances the protection of workers’ rights with the government’s infrastructure reform agenda.
A major highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the unions and the concessionaire. The agreement guarantees job security for all affected staff and preserves their employment status and conditions of service. It also assures that no worker will be unfairly displaced as the concession process moves forward.
Keyamo praised the union leaders for their constructive approach and patriotism, noting that collaboration and dialogue remain central to the reform efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He emphasized that modernizing aviation infrastructure and safeguarding workers’ interests are complementary objectives, not opposing ones.
“This administration is committed to fairness, inclusiveness, and national interest,” the minister said, stressing that reforms in the aviation sector will continue to reflect compassion and equity.
The resolution of the dispute over the Enugu airport concession is being viewed as a significant step in the ongoing transformation of the aviation industry in Nigeria. The ministry reiterated its commitment to sustained stakeholder engagement as it pursues a more competitive, efficient, and sustainable aviation sector.
