Anambra is the latest Nigerian state government to explore options to establish its own airline or partner with an existing one to enhance air transport connectivity, according to the state's transportation commissioner, Patricia Igwebuike.
Speaking at the 9th All Nigeria Airport Business Summit and Expo in Lagos on August 24, she said that Anambra state - situated in the southeast of the West African country - is evaluating proposals and discussing with airlines, like Ibom Air (QI, Uyo), to address strong air travel demand.
State-owned Anambra international cargo and passenger airport in Umuleri, which has handled over 5,700 flights and 343,000 passengers since its opening in October 2021, is a key focus. Igwebuike emphasised the airport's strategic importance for cargo and passenger traffic, highlighting its commercial viability.
"To attract footprints into the airport, we are doing quite a lot; talking to investors. As we speak, we have more than 30 proposals for concession and management agreements. To attract airlines, we have seen that there's a lot of demand from people flying from Anambra or people intending to fly to Anambra, and we are talking to other airlines like Ibom Air and others. The idea is that we are looking at the numbers, because our governor is a numbers man, to know whether we need to float an airline or if we need to partner with an airline, because the demand is high," she said in a statement issued by the state's communication department.
She highlighted that the current focus at the airport is on cargo. "The cargo aspect of it is because we are a commercial state; we build, we sell. All the statistics will tell you that a great percentage of the imports in the southern part of Nigeria, more than 50%, return to Anambra State. So that's the concept behind the airport," she said.
The airport, renamed Chinua Achebe International Airport in October 2023, is designed to accommodate cargo and passenger services, with an asphalt runway of 3,700 metres at an elevation of 63 metres, according to ch-aviation PRO airports data. The airport is currently served by Air Peace (P4, Lagos) and United Nigeria Airlines (UN, Enugu) for flights to Lagos and Abuja.
Following the example of Ibom Air, which was launched by Akwa Ibom State in 2019, several Nigerian states are pursuing plans to establish their own airlines, reflecting a growing interest in enhancing regional connectivity and boosting local economies. These include the state governments of Lagos, Ebonyi, and Bayelsa. At the national level, the Nigerian federal government unsuccessfully attempted to launch a national carrier, Nigeria Air (Lagos), in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International). The latest proposals include the merger of Arik Air (W3, Lagos) and Aero Contractors (N2, Lagos), both under the receivership of state asset manager AMCON, to form a new national airline.
