- Concessions Airport
- Rename Ministry
- Establish Aviation University
CEM REPORT, AVIATION | The Federal Ministry of Aviation has been renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace of Nigeria. Announcing the change of name, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said that aviation and aerospace were intertwined and Nigeria had the need to proactively set its policies to align with future occurrences.
The Minister made the announcement in Abuja on Wednesday, moments after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also stated that the council approved the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
Sirika said that the Abuja Airport would be concessioned for 20 years, while that of Kano would be concessioned for 30 years.
It should be recalled that the Nigerian Federal Government and Aviation Unions have been in a legal battle over the concession of airports.
The government assured the union of job security which was at the front burner of the union’s agitation.
Meanwhile, in another report, the minister announced that the government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishing the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU).
This was made known in a statement issued by the Aviation Ministry’s spokesperson, Odutayo Oluseyi, in Abuja.
The MoU signed between the federal government and the Nile University of Nigeria will see the commencement of the university in September this year.
The minister stated that the MoU would enable Nile University to provide the attention and research support for the take-off of the undergraduate programme for the first two years as provided by the NUC convention and practice.
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Sirika explained that the university would be operated through public and private sector arrangements, and, will eventually become a fully private university.
The establishment of AAAU is one of the components of the aviation roadmap targets the aviation minister set to achieve under this administration before the inauguration of a new government.
Other key components of the aviation sector roadmap consist of the concession of four airports and establishing a national carrier, Nigeria Air, which the minister has repeatedly claimed would commence operation before 29 May.
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