A few federal airports around the country would be bearing new names soon, all thanks to the President Bola Tinubu who has given the greenlight to the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) to effect the change.
This is according to a memo sent to the Head of Operations of FAAN entitled: “Naming of Federal Airports in favour of some prominent Nigerians,” by the Federal Ministry of Aviation dated June 1, 2023.
The official document signed by the Director of Airport Operations, Joke Olatunji went thus: “I am directed to refer a memo with reference number, FMA/T4464/7090/T7B/647 from FAAN on the naming of some federal airports after notable Nigerians”.
It was learnt that while the Port Harcourt Airport would now be known as the Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo Airport, the Maiduguri Airport will now be called Muhammadu Buhari Airport after the immediate past president.
Furthermore, the Benin Airport was renamed after the late Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua II, just as Ebonyi Airport will now be called after the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo. The Ibadan Airport is now known named after the late Premier of the old Western Region, Ladoke Akintola.
The renaming of the airports was first announced day before the exit of President Buhari.
The full list is as follows:-
- Akure Airport – Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu
- Benin Airport – Oba Akenzua II
- Dutse Airport – Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi
- Ebonyi Airport – Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo
- Gombe Airport – Brigadier Zakari Maimalari
- Ibadan Airport – Samuel Ladoke Akintola
- Ilorin Airport – Gen. Tunde Idiagbon
- Kaduna Airport – Hassan Usman Katsina
- Maiduguri Airport – Gen. Mumammadu Buhari
- Makurdi Airport – Joseph Sarwuan Tarka
- Minna Airpor – Mallam Abubakar Imam
- Nassarawa Airport – Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio
- Osubi Airport – Alfred Diete Spiff
- Port Harcourt Airport – Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo
- Yola Airport – Lamido Aliyu Mustapha