FG Orders CCECC To Resume Abuja Airport Second Runway Project
The Federal Government has directed the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to resume work on the long-delayed second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this in Lagos while speaking at the 67th anniversary of Aero Contractors.
Keyamo said President Bola Tinubu had approved the return of CCECC to the project, noting that the prolonged delay had significantly increased the cost of constructing the runway.
According to the minister, the project, which was estimated at about N45 billion nearly two decades ago, would now cost close to N400 billion.
He said the development demonstrated the consequences of delaying critical infrastructure projects, as rising construction and material costs could make them substantially more expensive over time.
Keyamo explained that the controversy surrounding the construction of the second runway dates back to the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when concerns were raised over the cost of the project.
He said, “The President has also approved that CCECC goes back to Abuja and begins the rebuilding of the second runway.”
The minister recalled that the National Assembly had at the time questioned the N45 billion estimated cost of the runway, adding that the inability to mobilise the required funds contributed to the prolonged delay.
He warned that the increase from N45 billion to nearly N400 billion underscored the financial implications of postponing major infrastructure projects.
Speaking on Aero Contractors’ 67 years of operations, Keyamo described the airline as a symbol of resilience in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
He noted that the airline had survived decades of challenges despite the high rate of airline failures in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to him, more than 100 airlines have ceased operations in Nigeria, citing airlines such as Okada Air, Chanchangi Airlines and Concord Airlines among those that had gone under.
Keyamo said Aero Contractors’ continued existence represented the resilience of the Nigerian spirit and should be celebrated as part of the country’s aviation heritage.
