January 28, (THEWILL) — Three major aviation unions: the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), have rejected the concession agreement signed recently for Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
The unions have, therefore, advised the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to reverse the concession agreement.
The unions maintained that the interests of the would-be-affected staff of the airport were not taken into consideration.
In a letter addressed to the Minister, dated 26th January, 2026 with the title: “Enugu Airport Concession: An Outright Rejection”, the unions stated that the execution of the final agreement became more disturbing because workers representatives in the concession committee were supposed to be embedded in the contract after the expected agreement that addresses the Labour issues had been signed with their unions.
According to the letter signed by the General Secretary of ATSSSAN, Comrade Frances Akinjole, General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Sikiru Waheed, and General Secretary of ANAP, Comrade Abdilulrazaq Saidu, the unions added that “no agreement was ever signed with our unions in this regard. Hence, the process was incomplete to warrant the signing off of the concession agreement of the Enugu Airport, as it happened last week.
”This patent lack of transparency that envelopes the process that culminates in the signing of the agreement has caused serious acrimonious agitation among the FAAN staffers across Nigeria.
”In view of the flagrant display of insensitivity to the interest of the would-be-affected staff of the airport, our unions hereby reject the celebrated concession of agreement and implore the Minister to urgently reverse the process to allow for the proper things to be done”, the unions stated
The Federal Government, on 22nd January, 2026, signed the concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, through the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo
During the signing, the Minister stated that the Federal Executive Council granted approval for the concession of the Enugu Airport on July 31, 2025, subject to the conclusion of contractual agreements.
“Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. The process culminated on the 31st of July, 2025, when the Federal Executive Council approved the proposal to concession the Enugu Airport, subject, of course, to contract”, Keyamo said.
He explained that following the Council’s approval, the Ministry, FAAN and Aero Alliance engaged in extensive negotiations, including consultations with aviation unions, to ensure that the welfare of workers was fully protected under the concession arrangement.
According to him, the rights and privileges of aviation workers were prioritised throughout the process.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
