The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, has officially designated Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna, as the alternative to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The decision, he said, is based on the airport’s strategic location and underutilised infrastructure, which he described as more than capable of handling major international aircraft.
Keyamo made the declaration during the commissioning ceremony of Overland Airways’ inaugural commercial flight to the Minna airport, an event hosted by the executive governor of Niger State, Umar Bago. The ceremony marked a significant step in revitalising regional aviation and driving economic growth in the North Central region.
Addressing guests at the event, Keyamo stressed the untapped potential of the airport. “The runway is an international runway. A 747 and a Triple Seven can use this runway. Why this airport has remained underutilised for years remains a puzzle,” he said. “Our eyes are on this airport. By the powers conferred on me, I declare Minna Airport as the alternative to Abuja Airport. NCAA, FAAN, take note.”
The minister was accompanied by key stakeholders including the director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo; the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, represented by FAAN’s director of human resources, Dr. Emiola Olatunbosun Luqman; the ministry’s director of aerodromes, Engr. Vembe Peter and the registrar of the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), Dr. Mustapha Sheikh Abdullahi.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi; the chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, represented by Rt. Hon. Abubakar Kusada and several former governors of Niger State.
In his welcome address, the secretary to the Niger State government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, lauded Governor Bago for his visionary leadership, referring to him as the “new architect of Niger State.” The event was also a platform for Governor Bago to showcase ongoing developmental strides.
Overland Airways’ managing director, Capt. Edward Boyo commended the governor’s humility and leadership. He announced that the airline had deployed a brand-new Embraer 175 for the Minna route, offering both premium and economy class services. “Let it go down in history that this man has moved the seaport in Lagos to Minna,” he declared.
With flights now connecting Minna to Lagos and Abuja three times a week and future interline arrangements planned, the airport is poised to become a vital hub in Nigeria’s aviation landscape.
