Photo: Port Harcourt International Airport — Hansueli Krapf via Wikimedia Commons
The Federal Government has signed a 30-year concession agreement handing the Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port Harcourt, to a private operator, PH Airport Limited.
The agreement was signed in Abuja on Thursday, November 12, by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for the government, and a concessionaire team led by Group Managing Director Eyo Asuquo.
- Port Harcourt becomes the second major airport concessioned, after Enugu
- The deal had the approval of President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council
- Aviation unions endorsed it after assurances that no worker will lose their job
Why the FG concessioned Port Harcourt airport
Keyamo said profits from Nigeria's major gateway airports are being used to prop up loss-making airports, and that private capital and expertise are needed to lift standards and revenue.
He described the concession as a long-planned decision, not a sudden move, noting that previous administrations attempted similar deals but were blocked by union opposition and litigation.
The concessionaire will face performance reviews every five years, and the government says it can take the airport back if agreed standards are not met. The financial terms — the concession fee and the operator's investment commitment — were not disclosed in the reports.
Unions and the concessionaire react
Aviation union leaders, including Ben Nnabue, expressed approval of the agreement, saying their endorsement followed confirmation that no aviation worker would lose their job as a consequence of the arrangement.
Asuquo said PH Airport Limited would bring international standards and improved facilities to the airport, which serves the oil-rich Niger Delta from Omagwa, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt.
Keyamo also disclosed that the ministry has received concession proposals for Benin and Yola airports.
What happens next
Attention now turns to the handover and the operator's first investment steps at one of Nigeria's four main international gateways, alongside Lagos, Abuja and Kano.
Travellers and airlines will judge the deal on passenger experience, flight reliability and whether cargo and commercial activity grow at the airport.
Credit: BusinessDay and The Sun reports, November 12-13, 2026.
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