Operations at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) in Enugu ground to a complete halt today as aviation workers, under the directives of their national leadership, embarked on an indefinite industrial action.
The protest is a direct response to the Federal Government’s recent signing of a 30-year concession agreement with Aero Alliance, a move the unions describe as “opaque,” “procedurally flawed,” and “insensitive” to the welfare of the workforce.
Starting in the early hours of Friday, members of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) withdrew their services, effectively grounding all flight activities.
Passengers scheduled for morning departures to Lagos, Abuja, and other regional hubs were forced out of the terminal buildings, leaving hundreds stranded on the airport premises.
The crisis stems from the January 23, 2026, formal signing of the concession agreement by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN.
While the Ministry has framed the partnership with Aero Alliance as a milestone for modernizing infrastructure and boosting the South-East economy, the unions allege they were strategically excluded from the final negotiations.
In a joint statement, union leaders asserted that labor representatives on the concession committee were “effectively sidelined” during the critical final stages.
“No binding agreement was ever reached or signed with our unions to resolve labor-related issues expected to be embedded in the concession framework,” the statement read. “We cannot allow a 30-year handover of a national asset to proceed without clear, legal guarantees regarding the job security and future welfare of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) staff.”
Beyond labor issues, the unions and industry analysts have raised red flags over the transparency of the bidding process. Reports suggest the airport was concessioned to a consortium involving a South-East governor and a prominent Anambra-based businessman, leading to allegations of political favoritism. Stakeholders have questioned why the tender for the concession was not made public and what metrics were used to select Aero Alliance.
The shutdown has already caused significant economic disruption. Major domestic carriers, including Enugu Air, have suspended operations at the terminal until further notice.
Demands for Reversal
The unions have vowed that the strike will continue until the Federal Government reverses the concession agreement and reopens a transparent dialogue that includes all stakeholders. They are demanding a formal, signed document that outlines the fate of existing staff once the private operators take full control.
As of Friday morning, the Ministry of Aviation has yet to issue a new statement regarding the shutdown, though previous remarks by the Minister insisted that workers would remain federal employees and would not face retrenchment.
