By Francis Ogwo
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has expressed hope that about 241,700 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs are expected to be created down the aviation value chain from the concession of four international airports’ terminals.
This is coming while receiving four certificates of compliance or Outline Business Case (OBC) certificates on the concession.
This makes seven OBC certificates received by the ministry so far in addition to the previously received OBC on the national carrier, the Aviation Leasing Company and the Maintenance Repairs Overhaul facility (MRO).
The Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Engr. Chidi Izuwah, while presenting the certificates to the Aviation Minister, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said with the certificates, the ministry can go ahead to source for private investors for the terminals.
The OBC was given to the following airports; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Mallam Aminu International Airport, Kano, Port Harcourt International Airport and Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos.
According to Izuwah, the OBCs revealed the bankability of the facilities with private sector investors at liberty to invest in them.
The next stage after the OBC, according to reports, is the procurement stage and the Final Business Case (FBC), which will be approved by the Federal Executive Council and the ICRC.
In his response, Sen. Sirika said the airport’s concession programme formed part of the Aviation roadmap previously approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his words, “Critical to the roadmap are the airports’ terminal concession. More than 80% of the roadmap is through public-private partnership (PPP) and the ICRC has the sole mandate to regulate to ensure viability, fairness and diligence.
“You can’t have nice airports and you don’t have a feeder primary airline to feed it. If you have the airline, it means you must have a maintenance facility (MRO) and then you need the Aviation Leasing Company for ease of leasing aircraft and other critical equipment.
“All of these, work together to create an aviation system that is self-sustaining.” The minister added.
According to the Aviation Minister, Sirika, the airports would not be sold or privatized but keeping to the concession plans of the Federal Government only.
