President Bola Tinubu has approved ₦46 billion for the resurfacing and reconstruction of the second runway at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to modernize Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the approval on Tuesday during the commissioning of the newly remodeled Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal at the Kano airport.
According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the runway project is expected to improve operational efficiency and strengthen Kano’s status as one of Africa’s leading aviation hubs.
Keyamo said the Tinubu administration had prioritized major investments in Kano’s airport because of its strategic importance to commerce and air transportation in Northern Nigeria.
“The President has approved the sum of ₦46 billion for the resurfacing and reconstruction of the second runway so that Kano Airport can compete with other international airports around the world,” the Minister said.
He also noted that President Tinubu appointed former Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in recognition of his vision for the aviation sector and the state’s development.
The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming the country’s aviation industry under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing the commissioning of the upgraded domestic terminal as another milestone in that vision.
Named after renowned aviation pioneer Mallam Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo, the remodeled domestic terminal is designed to improve passenger comfort, operational efficiency, safety, and overall service delivery.
Keyamo further disclosed that work has commenced on the upgrade of the airport’s Hajj Terminal, with contractors already mobilized to the project site.
Describing Kano as the commercial heartbeat of Northern Nigeria, the Minister said the city remains central to the Federal Government’s aviation development strategy.
The commissioning ceremony attracted top government officials and aviation stakeholders, including FAAN Board Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; FAAN Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Kano State Commissioner for Transport, Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi, who represented Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf; Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure; Director of Air Transport Management, Ahmed Tijani; as well as other industry leaders.
Speaking at the event, FAAN Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku said the upgraded terminal reflects the Authority’s commitment to delivering world-class airport facilities and enhancing the travel experience for passengers.
Ganduje also praised President Tinubu and the Ministry of Aviation for prioritizing infrastructure development in Kano, expressing confidence that the ongoing projects would further consolidate the state’s position as Northern Nigeria’s foremost commercial and aviation gateway.
