Nigeria intends to attract private investments to its government-owned airports as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, prepares for closure to undergo maintenance after years of desertion, according to Hadi Sirika (photo), the Minister of aviation.

“All government-owned airports will be offered to investors who have the wherewithal, the know-how, the technology, the capacity, the ability and the finance to put up huge fantastic edifices as airports with everything including hotels, just the way you see them abroad,” he said not giving further details like when the government airports would be opened to investment.

The Abuja airport which will be closed from 12 a.m. on Wednesday, is set to undergo repairs on the runway after it becomes so damaged to the extent that international carriers were threatening to withdraw their services. The maintenance exercise is expected to last for six weeks.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the government will keep its promise of making the Kaduna Airport ready for use as a substitute. But workers are still needed to fit electrics, seating and toilets to a new terminal at the airport which will handle Abuja's air traffic but lacks the capacity to do so.

Anita Fatunji