The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed during a briefing at the State House on Thursday that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a series of key aviation projects, including the concession of Port Harcourt International Airport and the introduction of contactless biometric verification systems linked to National Identification Number (NIN) across Nigerian airports to tackle fraud, enhance passenger identification and security.
Keyamo said eight memos from his ministry were considered and approved, covering airport management, infrastructure, safety, and modernization initiatives.
He said one of the approvals was for contracts to provide maintenance and support services for airport management solutions at Nigeria’s five international airports, Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu
The minister also announced the procurement and installation of advanced tertiary power systems and 14 VHF remote stations by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to improve navigational safety.
He further disclosed that the Council approved the exclusion of all Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) residential and operational properties within and around airport premises from sale to private individuals.
To meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, FEC endorsed the purchase of 15 airport rescue and firefighting vehicles for the five major international airports.
On infrastructure, Keyamo said approval was granted for the construction of a permanent headquarters for NAMA in Abuja, following the agency’s relocation from Lagos.
He added that the FEC approved the full business case for the concession of Port Harcourt International Airport to private investors, noting increased investor interest since the Tinubu administration took office.
He assured aviation workers that no jobs would be lost under the new concession arrangement