Nigerian airports will run efficiently without privatisation

Nigerian airports have the potential to be self-sufficient if run properly, former director of Engineering Services, Mohammed Sadiq, has said.
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Sadiq previously worked with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and has said that FAAN generates N33billion (USD166 million) annually and can contribute 25% of this to the Federal government, enough to run the airports independently.
 
“It is this economic viability of our airport system that the economic terrorists are targeting by advocating privatisation of the only viable international airports to the detriment of the overall development of the other airports and by extension the development of the country,” said Sadiq.
 
He has also stated that FAAN can also pay for the construction of new terminal buildings in the country’s international airports.
 
“These so-called private operators only concentrate their attention on the Terminal Buildings. They don’t contribute to the maintenance of the Airports’ most critical safety infrastructures namely the runway, taxiway, Apron, navigational aids, airport ground lighting system, fire and safety service, airport perimeter fencing and the general maintenance of the airside,” said Sadiq.