BREAKING: Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo Suspends Nigerian Air, Reverses Airports Concession

 Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has announced the suspension of airports’ concession and national carrier.

The airports concession and national were major projects under the aviation roadmap implemented by the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Keyamo while speaking at a tour of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, said the concession and national carrier would be on hold until further notice.

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It would be recalled that the two projects were launched under controversial circumstances as they got their approval a fee days before the expiration of the former government.

A week to the end of the Buhari's administration, the Federal Government through the then Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, James Odaudu, announced that upon approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), it has successfully concessioned the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

James Odaudu disclosed that the Corporacion American Airport Consortium which comprises the Corporation American Airports, Mota Engil Africa, and Mota Engil Nigeria has emerged as the preferred bidder, 

The Nigeria Air was also embroiled in controversy as a shadow launch on May 26, just 72 hours to the end of the administration, came as a shock to many observers and players in the sector as the Nigeria Air was yet to receive the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to commence commercial operation.

Also, a Federal High Court in Lagos had stopped the take-off of the national carrier after hearing a suit filed by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

Keyamo has now ordered that the old terminal of the airport be shut on October 1 for total repair, while he also directed foreign airlines to relocate to the new terminal latest by October 1 when the old terminal would be shut down for total rehabilitation.