Kaduna Airport dormant 17 months after N2bn upgrade
Story from Saleh INUWA, Kano
One year and five months after a bandits’ attack at Kaduna International Airport, domestic flight operations remain suspended, despite the strategic location of the state as the Political Capital of Northern Nigeria and home to many federal agencies and institutions.
Kaduna Airport, one of Nigeria’s designated international airports, used to have six domestic airlines operating into it.
The Federal Government invested over N2 billion in 2017 to upgrade the airport, intending to accommodate flights diverted from Abuja due to runway repairs.
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Unfortunately, the investment has gone to waste, as the airport has remained dormant for nearly one and a half years since the bandits’ attack on March 27.
Azman, the only airline operating to Kaduna, suspended its services after the attack. While it later resumed operations, a one-way ticket from Abuja to Kaduna cost over N100,000 due to the state’s insecurity.
At present, the airport sees only chartered aircraft landing and taking off, with no domestic flight operations. Previously, Arik Air, Air Peace, Med-View, Aero Contractors, and Max Air used to fly to the airport.
According to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Kaduna Airport processed an average of 75,000 passengers annually as of 2019, implying an annual loss of N150 million for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Aviation Security Expert, Ayo Obilana, charged both the federal and state governments to implement adequate security measures, and encouraged airlines to resume flying into the state.
