Zulum backs upgrade of Maiduguri Airport to international status
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has pledged his administration’s full support for the upgrade of the Muhammadu Buhari Airport in Maiduguri to international status.
The commitment was made during a visit to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Governor Zulum, who also chairs the Northeast Governors’ Forum, expressed confidence that the airport’s upgrade would significantly boost economic development in the region, particularly as Maiduguri serves as a strategic gateway to countries around Lake Chad and Central Africa.
“As the chairman of the Northeast Governors’ Forum, I want to assure you of the political will needed to ensure the implementation of this laudable stride,” Zulum said. He highlighted the potential for the upgraded airport to drive economic growth and improve connectivity across the region.
In response, Minister Keyamo confirmed that the Muhammadu Buhari Airport would officially commence operations as an international airport on January 1, 2025. He noted that all necessary preparations have been completed and relevant government agencies notified of the impending launch.
The minister expressed his gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the airport’s upgrade, emphasizing that the Northeast was the only geopolitical zone in Nigeria without a fully operational international airport.
Governor Zulum was accompanied on the visit by key political figures from Borno State, including Senators Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), and Kaka Shehu Lawan (Borno Central), as well as other senior officials, including Borno APC Chairman Hon. Bello Ayuba and Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Engr Abdullahi Musa Askira.
The upgrade of the Maiduguri airport is expected to enhance trade, travel, and development in the region, aligning with the government’s broader goals of infrastructure development and economic revitalization
