The Federal Executive Council (FEC) rose from its meeting on Thursday and approved the concession of the Port Harcourt International Airport to private investors for more efficient management and improved service delivery.

The Council also approved the long-awaited contract for the provision of engineering infrastructure in Maitama 2 District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Aviation and Aerospace Management Minister, Festus Keyamo, who made this known while briefing reporters at the State House, Abuja, shortly after the FEC meeting, which was presided over by President Bola Tinubu, however, assured aviation workers that the concession would not result in job losses.

He stressed that government remains committed to protecting workers’ rights while pursuing reforms to make the aviation sector more viable.

According to him: “We have two major airports now that we have approvals in terms of the business case to begin to finalise with private investors. One of them is the Port Harcourt International Airport. Let me assure the unions that nobody will lose his job as a result of these concessions. I am pro-union, pro-workers, and I will engage them to ensure they are comfortable with the process”.

Keyamo noted that the move was part of government’s effort to ensure that airports operate sustainably. 

He explained that many airports currently run at a loss, with revenue from Lagos, Abuja, and Kano used to subsidise others.

“Before we came in, Port Harcourt was a no-go area — no investor was interested. But today, because of the activities of this government, it has become the beautiful bride. Over six investors competed to manage the airport,” he said.

The Minister also listed other aviation-related approvals secured from FEC, including contracts for the maintenance and support services for airport management solutions across Nigeria’s five international airports; Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Enugu, as well as the procurement and installation of advanced tertiary power systems and navigational aids.

Additionally, the Council approved the purchase of 15 airport rescue and firefighting vehicles to meet International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and the construction of a permanent headquarters for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in Abuja.

Another significant approval was the exclusion of all Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) residential properties within and around airports from sale to private individuals, a move aimed at preserving operational safety and security within airport environments.

FEC also approved the concession of biometric verification systems at airports to integrate passengers’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) into boarding processes, enhance aviation security, and curb the use of fake identities.

Keyamo said the ministry also secured approvals for contracts under its 2024 budget to improve lighting systems at airports, enabling night operations and helping local airlines increase passenger capacity and revenue.

“These reforms are designed to make our airports safer, more efficient, and commercially sustainable. We are bringing them to global standards,” he further stressed.

Also speaking, Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike, disclosed that FEC approved the long-awaited contract for the provision of engineering infrastructure in Maitama 2 District of the FCT.

According to him, the Maitama 2 project, which covers an estimated 786 hectares of land, had been stalled for nearly five years after it was first awarded, until the current administration took decisive steps to revive it.

“This contract was awarded about five years ago but did not take off. When Mr. President came, the Federal Executive Council terminated that contract. Today, FEC has approved a fresh contract for the engineering infrastructure of Maitama 2,” the Minister stated.

He explained that Maitama 2 would serve as a new residential and commercial district in Abuja, adding that the project aligns with President Tinubu’s commitment to expanding development across the FCT.

“Many people had been allocated land in Maitama 2 before this administration, but there was no provision of infrastructure. This is a very ambitious project, and we are determined to give it all the attention it deserves to open up that district,” Wike said.

The Minister also announced FEC’s ratification of contracts for the design and construction of official residences for the heads of key courts, including the President of the Court of Appeal, the President of the National Industrial Court, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, and the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court.

According to him, the move reflects the administration’s recognition of the judiciary as a vital pillar of governance and its commitment to improving the welfare and working conditions of judicial officers.

Wike further revealed that the Council approved the provision of water supply to several satellite towns, including Karu, Karshi, Orozo, and Bwari. 

He recalled that President Tinubu had earlier inaugurated the Greater Abuja Water Supply Project, with a promise to extend it to surrounding communities.

“We have flagged off that project, and by the grace of God, we believe that by May next year, it will be inaugurated,” he said.

He further noted that the Council ratified the emergency rehabilitation works recently carried out at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre, which was completed in time for the inauguration of the ECOWAS Parliament earlier this year.

“That project was awarded under emergency when Mr. President directed that the Conference Centre should meet international standards. To the glory of God, it has now been fully rehabilitated and inaugurated,” he said.

Wike assured Abuja residents of continued infrastructural development across the FCT under the Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing that the FCT would remain a model city for modern urban planning and governance.

Also, FEC approved two major external loan facilities totalling $396 million to support critical humanitarian and health projects in Nigeria’s northern region.

It also approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on “Detty December”, a new federal initiative aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading global destination for end-of-year tourism and entertainment festivals.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, who disclosed the approval for the loans while briefing newsmen said the first facility is a $300 million World Bank credit to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities across several states in northern Nigeria. 

The second approval is for a combined $96 million credit from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the African Development Bank (AfDB); $50 million and $46 million respectively, for the Sokoto Health Infrastructure Project, to which the Sokoto State Government will also contribute counterpart funding.

“The $300 million World Bank credit is for internally displaced and host communities in various states in the North. The second approval is for the credit from the Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank for a total of $96 million to fund the Sokoto Health Infrastructure Project”, he explained.

Edun described the projects as critical to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at addressing regional disparities, improving access to healthcare, and rebuilding communities affected by conflict and displacement.

The Minister also briefed the Council on the state of the economy, noting that the latest data show a strong turnaround driven by reforms in the fiscal and monetary sectors.

“As at the second quarter, the economy was well and truly turned around in terms of growth. Growth was accelerating — over 4.2 percent — while inflation was down to 18 percent.”

He attributed the recovery to the correction of market distortions, exchange rate stabilization, and improved investor confidence. 

According to him, critical consumer spending indicators show that Nigerians are spending less of their income on essentials such as food, health, and transport than before.

“People are now spending about 50 percent of their income on basic needs compared to 90 percent before. There is more affordability, and the cost of living is inching downwards,” the minister noted.

On her part,  Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, announced that Council has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on “Detty December”

Musawa said the Task Force will coordinate federal ministries, departments, and agencies to support Lagos State and other participating states in delivering world-class festival experiences during the “Detty December” period — the popular month-long season of music, arts, and cultural celebrations.

“We have asked the President to establish a Presidential Task Force on Detty December that will allow all the different interdependencies — aviation, interior, power, and others — to provide the international community with a true destination for Detty December. It will also enable the federal government to support Lagos State and other hosts in maximizing the season’s economic and tourism potential”, Musawa explained.

She added that the initiative would serve as a catalyst for the creative and tourism industries, attracting private sector investment and branding Nigeria as a global cultural hub.

The Minister further revealed that the Council approved the establishment of Tourism and Cultural Economic Zones across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory. 

These zones, she said, will leverage regional strengths to promote unique cultural and tourism assets.

“Every state, working together with the federal government, will project its cultural and tourism strengths. These zones will be modeled after global success stories like Cancun in Mexico and Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia,” she stated.

Musawa also announced the adoption of national tourism brands such as Naija Season, a year-round celebration of Nigerian festivals developed by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), as official federal initiatives for tourism promotion.

Another major approval, according to her, was the establishment of the Presidential Council on Tourism Promotion and Investment, chaired by President Tinubu, with the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Tourism serving as vice chair. 

The Council, which reactivates an earlier framework from 2023, will coordinate inter-ministerial efforts to attract investment and enhance Nigeria’s global image as a stable, peaceful, and united nation.

“This Council will build Nigeria’s positive global image, showing our unity and stability to the world. A secretariat will be established in our ministry to drive this agenda”, Musawa said.

The minister also highlighted the FEC’s endorsement of the Intellectual Property (IP) Policy and Legal Framework, developed jointly by the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment; Justice; and Arts, Culture, and Tourism. 

The policy, she said, will enable creatives to use their intellectual property as collateral for financing and unlock private-sector funding for the creative industry.

“This is a game-changer. It will allow our creatives to monetize their ideas, protect their works, and access credit based on their intellectual property. Bigger and better days are ahead for Nigeria’s creative economy”, the Minister said.

Deji Elumoye

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