Bola Ahmed Tinubu Airport Minna Named Official Alternative To Abuja Airport.
The Federal Government has officially designated the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport in Minna, Niger State, as the alternative airport to Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s aviation development.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during the inauguration of commercial flight operations by Overland Airways from the Minna facility.
Speaking at the event, Keyamo highlighted the airport’s strategic advantages, noting its capacity to handle heavy aviation traffic. “This facility has everything—an international-grade runway, strategic location, and the ambience to handle large-scale aviation traffic,” he said. “A Boeing 747 or a triple seven can land here without issue. The fact that this airport has remained underutilised for so long is baffling.”
He continued, “With the authority vested in me as Minister of Aviation, I hereby declare the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna, as the official alternative to Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. I direct the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take immediate note and commence necessary coordination.”
Situated roughly 150 kilometres from Abuja, the airport was renamed in March 2024 from Abubakar Imam International Airport as part of a federal initiative to honour notable Nigerians by naming key infrastructure after them.
The designation is expected to ease the burden on Abuja’s airport during peak periods or maintenance, while also unlocking economic potential across the North-Central region through improved logistics, trade, and tourism opportunities.
Overland Airways became the first commercial airline to operate from the airport since its recent upgrade, in what many observers see as part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to decentralise aviation infrastructure and boost regional access.
Keyamo further revealed that the government would continue to invest in supporting infrastructure at the airport, including advanced navigation systems, upgraded passenger terminals, and enhanced cargo handling facilities. There are also ambitions to attract international carriers and cargo operators to establish routes into Minna.
“Our vision is to create a robust, resilient, and regionally balanced aviation system,” he stated. “Minna is now officially part of that future.”
The move represents a promising step towards a more inclusive and efficient aviation network for Nigeria.
