No fewer than 15 states have spent N301 billion on airports that failed to meet the yearly passenger traffic requirement per airport, Sunday Vanguard findings show.

The airports, which are spread across the country, are underutilized as many hardly record daily flights while others only have a few chartered flights sometimes.

Constructed by state governments, they depend mainly on a few viable airports to survive, thereby corroborating the public outcry that often meets the decision of state governors to construct them.

Nigeria currently has 31 airports, with many operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

Profitability

Of this number, about 15 were built by state governments since 1999.

They include Asaba Airport, Mohammed Buhari Airport, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom Airport, Uyo, Bayelsa International Airport, Ogun Cargo Airport, MKO Abiola International Airport, Osun, uncompleted, Ekiti Cargo Airport, Anambra Cargo Airport, Umuleri, Abia Airport, Wachakal Airport, Damaturu, and Dutse International Airport.

Others are Lafia Airport, uncompleted, Kebbi Airport, Auchi Airport, Edo State, uncompleted, Zamfara Airport, Nasarawa Airport and Gombe Airport.

Many first-generation airports built by the Federal Government during the military era, Sunday Vanguard learnt, also have profitability questions.

"Furore as 15 states spend N301 billion on ‘unprofitable’ airports - Vanguard News" https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/11/furore-as-15-states-spend-n301-billion-on-unprofitable-airports/amp/