Tinubu Orders Protection of Airport Assets, Bans Sale of FAAN Properties Nationwide
President Bola Tinubu has issued a firm directive prohibiting the sale or transfer of any properties owned by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), particularly those located within or around airport premises across the country.
The decision, announced after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, is part of the administration’s broader effort to safeguard critical aviation infrastructure and curb encroachments on airport lands.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the President’s order follows concerns that properties vital to airport safety and operations were being sold or mismanaged in past years.
He emphasized that such assets must remain under FAAN’s ownership and control.
“Mr. President has given a clear instruction — no property belonging to FAAN, especially those within or adjoining airport zones, should be sold, transferred, or allocated to private individuals or entities,” Keyamo said. “These facilities are essential for safety and emergency response. They are not meant for private development or commercial resale.”
The minister explained that certain residential quarters originally designed for emergency response teams—such as firefighters, air traffic controllers, and maintenance personnel—had been sold in the past, making rapid response difficult during emergencies. He noted that this practice undermined aviation safety standards and violated international regulations.
Keyamo also warned individuals or groups who might have acquired FAAN properties through questionable transactions to “reconsider their positions,” stressing that the government would not recognize such sales. “Anyone who thinks they have bought FAAN property should think again. We will recover and protect every asset critical to aviation safety,” he declared.
The move comes amid ongoing disputes over encroachments on airport lands, particularly in Kano, Lagos, and Abuja, where illegal developments have posed challenges to airport expansion and security. In recent months, FAAN began demolishing structures built on restricted areas of airport land in Kano after ownership controversies emerged.
At the same meeting, the Federal Executive Council also approved several aviation-related projects aimed at modernizing Nigeria’s airport system.
These include the procurement of rescue and firefighting vehicles, installation of aeronautical information management systems, and the upgrade of airport security gadgets to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Aviation experts have praised the President’s directive as a step toward protecting public assets from misuse and ensuring compliance with global safety requirements.
However, they have also urged the government to publish a clear framework for implementation to prevent bureaucratic loopholes or abuse.
“The directive is commendable, but it must be backed by strong oversight,” said one industry analyst. “Airport land is not ordinary real estate; it’s critical to national security and aviation operations.”
With this move, the Tinubu administration seeks to draw a firm line under years of controversies surrounding the sale and misuse of aviation lands.
The government says the new policy will ensure that airport environments remain secure, accessible, and strategically managed for the benefit of the aviation sector and the Nigerian public.
