Public/Private Partnership Targeted At Developing Akure Aerotropolis Airport

An Aerotropolis City said to be the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, is to be developed at the Akure Airport, in Ondo state. On a private/public partnership arrangement between the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN, and a private investor, FAAN has finalised arrangements with Ala Resort Ltd, to develop and transform the Akure Airport into an aerotropolis city.

Infrastructural facilities of the aerotropolis, is expected to gulp N56billion while no fewer than 14,000 skilled workers would be engaged as the project takes off. Speaking with newsmen in Akure, General Manager of Business Development, FAAN Headquarters, Mr. Hycinth Ngwu, said the decision was anchored on private/public partnership geared towards developing an aerotropolis in the airport.

Ngwu pointed out that the project was a revolution in the way the authority generates revenue. He assured that the project would be executed as planned and Akure Airport would be the best.

The General Manager, appreciated the host community, Ondo State government, and all stakeholders saying that “it will increase revenue base of the state and local government. Certainly, majority of the employees will come from the locality. They should support it because it will transform the community to their successes”.

The Chief Executive Officer of the resort, Mr. Moyosola Niran-Oladunni, explained that the company was bringing ideas that would impact value on the state. Niran-Oladunni said “The Aerotropolis City, which would be first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, would drive lives around the aviation industry.

According to him, the resort had begun moves on the Aerotropolis since 2017, when experts were invited to assess the airport for its suitability for the project. He said that FAAN had approved the project, which he said would be constructed in phases including institutional, industrial, commercial and agricultural.

The Aerotropolis City would parade institutional zones including Sports Academy that could host any club, which would be built by the Emirate Foundation, medical centre, to be built by a U.S. company, among others. The industrial zone will also enable all materials to be used for the construction to be assembled and manufactured in the sector within.

The Airport manager, Mrs Lynda Ezike, assured that the management and staff of the airport were expectant and ready to support the proposed unprecedented developmental mega project in the airport, which is for the good of all stakeholders.