Kano Airport Gets Major Boost As Tinubu Approves ₦46bn Runway Project

President Bola Tinubu has approved the sum of ₦46 billion for the resurfacing and reconstruction of the second runway at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing drive to modernise aviation infrastructure across the country.

According to Ireporter Online, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the approval during the commissioning of the newly remodelled Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal at the airport in Kano State.

A statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, explained that the runway project forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the operational capacity of Nigeria’s major airports and improve service delivery within the aviation sector.

Keyamo said the investment would significantly enhance the airport’s operational efficiency and position it to compete with leading international airports around the world.

He noted that the Tinubu administration had identified Kano as a strategic aviation hub due to its commercial importance, adding that this informed the decision to prioritise major infrastructure projects in the state.

The minister also disclosed that work had commenced on the upgrade of the airport’s Hajj Terminal, with contractors already mobilised to the site to begin construction.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming the nation’s aviation industry under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing the commissioning of the remodelled domestic terminal as another milestone in the administration’s airport modernisation programme.

Keyamo stated that the Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal upgrade was designed to improve passenger comfort, operational efficiency, safety and overall service delivery for travellers using the airport.

He further described the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport as the commercial gateway of Northern Nigeria, stressing that its strategic role in commerce and transportation justified the extensive investment being made by the Federal Government.

The upgraded terminal was named after the late Mallam Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo, a renowned aviation pioneer from Kano, in recognition of his contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, said the upgraded terminal reflects the agency’s commitment to providing world-class airport facilities while enhancing the travel experience for passengers.

Chairman of the FAAN Governing Board, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, commended President Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation for prioritising aviation development in Kano, expressing confidence that the ongoing projects would further establish the state as a leading commercial and aviation hub in Northern Nigeria.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by senior government officials, aviation stakeholders and other dignitaries, including the Kano State Commissioner for Transport, Haruna Isa Dederi, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, FAAN directors and the Director of Air Transport Management at the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ahmed Tijani.