*As Minister Keyamo To Meet Unions Next Week, Operations Resume After Promise Of Monday Meeting
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SADR.jpeg")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
Following growing discontent over the recently signed Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, concession agreement, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, is set to meet with labour unions in the air transport sector over claims that issues affecting workers were ignored.
This was revealed after some aviation workers embarked on an industrial action at the airport in the early hours of Friday, leading to flight disruptions that left many passengers stranded.
Social Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Enyili Ezekwesili, who spoke on TVC, also warned that if Aero Alliance, the concessionaire, enters the airport to carry out activities without the issues being resolved, the workers would be forced to protest again.
His words: “What happened this morning was a carryover from what transpired on Wednesday. Last week, our national presidents gathered in Enugu to inform the government that the signing of the concession agreement in Abuja did not go down well with FAAN workers, particularly the labour unions.
“We were part of the committee because the Minister of Aviation requested that we be included. We attended one or two meetings, during which we raised the issue with the minister, stressing the need for the national leadership to tour the airports and hold congresses with the workers. The minister agreed that the idea was a good one.”
“However, before we knew what was happening, the agreement was signed, even though labour-related issues concerning the workers had not been properly addressed. We objected, stating that it was not the best approach and that we needed to raise our voices to let the minister know that the issues had not been fully discussed or finalised. For that reason, we believed there was no justification for the signing to take place at that time.”
“The assurance we have received is that by next week, the minister will convene a meeting to identify where the errors can be corrected. As long as there is no handover, we have no issues until our 21 days notice expires. However, if any meeting is held or any action is taken regarding the concession agreement, including the concessionaire coming into the airport to carry out activities, we will return to the point where we stopped.”
On January 22, 2026, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development disclosed that it had formally signed the concession agreement for the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, with Aero Alliance as the concessionaire.
Speaking during the signing, Keyamo described the event as the conclusion of a painstaking and transparent process that began several years ago.
He said: “Today is the end of a very long and tedious process regarding the concession of the Enugu Airport. The process culminated on the 31st of July, 2025, when the Federal Executive Council approved the proposal to concession the Enugu Airport, subject of course to contract.
“We did these agreements with the rights and privileges of workers uppermost in our minds. Let me say today that we have fully respected and preserved the rights of aviation workers. They have not been retrenched, their terms and conditions of employment have not changed in any way, and they remain workers of the federal government and FAAN.”
Flight operations at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, were disrupted on Friday by aviation workers protesting the Federal Government’s plan to concession the airport.
A coalition of aviation staff shut down the airport over the decision by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to concession the facility, allegedly without adequately engaging aviation unions.
The protest left many passengers stranded, as access to the airport was restricted and flights were disrupted.
The unions involved include the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals.
In mid-January, the unions, in a joint letter to the minister signed by their general secretaries—Frances Akinjole, Sikiru Waheed and Abdul Rasaq Saidu—described the concession process as insensitive, opaque and exclusionary, warning that industrial action could follow if the decision was not reversed.
The Chairperson of ATSSSAN, Ejike Ike, told reporters at the airport on Friday that the workers shut down the airport because the Nigerian government went ahead and signed a concession agreement with a company despite the workers’ appeal that their demands be resolved before the concession.
“Yesterday, we were told that they (government officials) are coming today to take over the airport. Then the aviation staff and the union members said that they would not be here. And they decided to shut down the airport against any operations,” Mr Ike said.
The chairperson claimed, without evidence, that the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, signed the concession agreement with Aero Consortium Alliance, which he alleged is owned by a governor in the South-east.
He urged the Nigerian government to consider the welfare of aviation workers and address their concerns before the concession.
“That is just the standard of the union. If they don’t attend to it, there will be chaos,” he said, accusing the government of being insincere about the concession.
The National Secretary of NUATE, Isaac Ezekwesili, told reporters that workers were unhappy that the government failed to fulfil their demands before going ahead with the concession.
Mr Ezekwesili recalled that the workers held a similar protest in late January against the planned concession of the airport.
The national social secretary said after the initial protest, the workers issued a communique and gave the government 21 days to fulfil their six demands or risk shutdown of the airport.
He said on Monday that the workers spotted some government officials conducting an inventory at the airport and that the workers resisted them.
“We said no. No further inventory should be taken at our airport until our demands are met. Sign our papers.
“This morning we said we must shut down until they sign our papers before any person can come for any inventory taken,” he said.
“This morning, we shut down the airports and said, ‘Attend to our issue before you do any further inventory taking in our airports.'”
Some stranded passengers were seen loitering on the airport premises, apparently frustrated.
Several luggage carts of stranded passengers were lined up near the airport entrance because the protesting workers had shut down everything.
Enugu Air, a commercial airline owned by the Enugu State Government, announced that the protest had disrupted its flight operations.
“There is currently a disruption at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, due to an ongoing protest by airport staff, which has restricted access to the terminal for passengers, airline personnel, and aircraft on ground in Enugu,” the airline wrote on its X handle at about 8:57 a.m. on Friday.
The airline lamented that, because Enugu is its primary base of operations, the situation was affecting multiple scheduled departures and arrivals.
However, some aviation authorities prevailed on the protesting workers to return to work and to allow for peaceful dialogue to resolve the problem.
Mr Ezekwesili told reporters that the suspension of the protest followed interventions from the Ministry of Aviation and the national leadership of the aviation workers, after the government promised to meet with them on Monday.
“That was why our national leadership said we should give a human face to it, which is exactly what we did this morning, by allowing the operations of the airport to start.
“By Monday, if they don’t hold that meeting, we may be forced to come back here,” he said.
“And recall that our 21-day ultimatum is still on. Once it elapses, the entire airspace in Nigeria will be shut down. We hope it doesn’t get to that level.”
With the development, flight operations resumed at the airport after hours of shutdown.
Enugu Air announced the resumption of flight operations after the protest.
“Normal operations have resumed at Enugu Airport. Some morning flights were affected and may be rescheduled,” it wrote on the microblogging platform.
“Affected passengers will receive updates directly.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s aviation sector is poised for growth following the Federal Government’s signing of the Cape Town Convention, an energy and aviation expert, Mr. Dare Osamo, has said.
Osamo, the Managing Director of Impact Energy, commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a strategic policy decision aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The convention, executed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), is expected to improve aircraft leasing conditions for local airlines, unlock investment opportunities, and boost confidence in Nigeria’s aviation market.
According to Osamo, the Cape Town Convention provides a globally recognised legal framework that protects the interests of aircraft lessors and financiers, particularly in asset recovery and enforcement of rights, thereby addressing structural challenges that have historically limited the growth of indigenous airlines.
He noted that access to leased aircraft has long been a major hurdle for Nigerian operators due to perceived legal and regulatory risks.
With the convention in place, he said airlines would be able to lease aircraft more easily, secure better terms, and reduce operational costs.
Osamo explained that the development is likely to lead to organic growth in local fleets, improved service delivery, and a more competitive aviation industry.
He added that fleet expansion would also stimulate economic activities across the aviation and energy value chains, increasing demand for aircraft parts, maintenance services, aviation consumables and jet fuel while creating employment opportunities for engineers, technicians, fuel suppliers, and logistics providers.
The expert further stated that improved access to aircraft would enable airlines to open new domestic and regional routes, particularly to underserved destinations, enhancing connectivity, stimulating commerce, and supporting national development.
Osamo also acknowledged the role of the Minister of Aviation in driving reforms aimed at revitalising the sector, noting that Keyamo’s engagement with international stakeholders and focus on regulatory clarity have helped restore credibility to Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
He described the signing as a foundational policy shift that could reposition Nigeria as an attractive destination for aircraft leasing, aviation services, and regional air transport operations if properly implemented alongside complementary reforms.
Osamo, however, called for sustained collaboration between government, regulators, and private sector stakeholders to ensure the full benefits of the convention are realised.
“The signing of the Cape Town Convention is not just a legal exercise; it is an economic enabler. It sends a strong message that Nigeria is open for business and serious about building a sustainable, growth-driven aviation industry,” he said.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
________________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola
_______________________________________________________________________
New Year Promo: Get Five Maritime Law Books For N150,000 — 63% Discount
The promotion, which commenced on January 8 and runs until February 8, 2026, offers five core maritime law books authored by Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN, ordinarily valued at N405,000, for just N150,000 — a 63% discount.
Interested buyers can place their orders through the following channels:
Phone: 0704 329 3271
Online Store: https://paystack.shop/aa-bookstore
Website: www.akabogulaw.com
______________________________________________________________________
