A Special IgboFacts Editorial
A Deal In The Shadows?
There are rumblings across the South-East. Whispers that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, the only international gateway in the heart of Igboland, is being quietly prepared for a long-term concession, possibly up to 80 years, to an undisclosed private consortium.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has denied finalizing any such deal. Yet, in the dangerous terrain of Nigerian politics, where deals are often cut behind closed doors, persistent rumour is rarely without substance.
This is not speculative fear-mongering. It is a timely, necessary call to vigilance. A call to all who care about the economic future and territorial dignity of the Igbo race to demand clarity, accountability, and fairness before another vital asset is signed away — possibly without consultation or justification.
80 Years? A Lease or Legacy Theft?
Let us be blunt: an 80-year concession is not a lease — it is de facto confiscation. Eight decades would effectively place a critical regional asset beyond the control of the Igbo people for multiple generations.
The scenario becomes even more suspect when we consider that Akanu Ibiam International Airport is not a major aviation hub like Lagos or Abuja. It receives only one international airline — Ethiopian Airlines — with limited passenger and cargo traffic.
So why would any government contemplate locking away such an asset for so long? Where are the economic projections? The business case? The feasibility studies? Or is this yet another chapter in Nigeria’s long history of economic marginalization of the Igbo people?
Concession or Exploitation?
Make no mistake: concession deals can be a tool for development — if transparent, justified, and accountable. But in Nigeria, concessions have too often served as backroom deals for connected interests, not genuine partnerships for infrastructure growth.
If an 80-year term has been proposed —as reported in some quarters — and if such a deal is quietly allowed to go through, it would amount to economic colonization through contractual fraud.
Would this be acceptable for Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos or Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja? Why, then, is it considered appropriate for Enugu?
Igbo Assets, Igbo Voices
The Akanu Ibiam International Airport stands as more than just a transit hub. It is a symbol of Igbo connectivity, aspiration, and access to the global economy.
Any attempt to lease it out for a century without rigorous consultation with Igbo stakeholders, including state governments, traditional institutions, business leaders, and the diaspora, is an affront to justice and common sense.
The Igbo are not strangers to strategic asset stripping, underinvestment, and neglect. But this time, the warning bell is sounding early. The Igbo must not sleep through this alarm.
A Call to Action: Before They Sign It Away
- We call on the Federal Ministry of Aviation to immediately disclose the concession proposals under consideration for the Enugu Airport.
- The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to publish evaluation criteria, bid details, and public consultation plans.
- The Federal Executive Council (FEC) to suspend any concession process on Akanu Ibiam International Airport until full stakeholder engagement has taken place.
- Igbo lawmakers, state governors, traditional rulers, town unions, business associations, and the global Igbo diaspora to rise and demand accountability.
This is not just about infrastructure. It is about dignity. It is about economic survival. It is about protecting the heritage of a people who have endured too much and cannot afford to lose more.
Epilogue: The Watchmen At The Gate
History has taught us that assets not defended are assets lost. The Igbo cannot afford to wake up tomorrow to find that our international gateway has been signed away for eighty years by a government that will be gone in eight.
This is the moment to ask hard questions.
This is the moment to raise our voices.
This is the moment to stand guard at the gates.
Akanu Ibiam International Airport is not for sale. Not in our lifetime. Not for eighty years. Not ever.
