The Federal Government recently approved N46.39 billion for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the primary and secondary runways at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, disclosed that roughly 60 percent of the contract sum has already been disbursed to the contractor, who has mobilized to the site.
However, the scale of the allocation has renewed intense scrutiny among aviation industry stakeholders regarding the true economics of runway construction and rehabilitation in Nigeria, raising critical questions around project valuation, routine maintenance, and fiscal transparency.
Building or rehabilitating a commercial airport runway involves a complex combination of specialized structural engineering, advanced drainage civil works, Precision Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL), and Instrument Landing Systems (ILS).
Because essential paving materials, lighting components, and navigation suites are predominantly imported, local tarmac projects are heavily exposed to foreign exchange volatility.
