Why Aviation Unions Finally Backed the Port Harcourt Airport Takeover

According to a report by The Punch on Friday, November 13, 2026, the Federal Government has officially handed over the reins of the Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port Harcourt, to PH Airport Limited under a landmark concession agreement.

The signing ceremony, spearheaded by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, marks a fresh chapter for the strategic aviation gateway.

Crucially, the deal comes with a major win for labor: an ironclad government assurance that the concession will result in zero job losses for aviation workers.

Before penning the agreement, Minister Keyamo engaged in high-level closed-door consultations with aviation union leaders to address lingering anxieties over job security.

The meetings included key industry figures, such as the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Chris Najomo, and the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku.

Following these extensive deliberations, the unions—spearheaded by Ben Nnabue—fully endorsed the concession.

Nnabue emphasized that worker welfare remained non-negotiable, noting that organized labor chose to back the initiative only after receiving definitive guarantees that members’ livelihoods would be fully protected.

“Our welfare and job security remain central. We are satisfied with the assurances received from both the government and the concessionaire following robust engagements regarding the future of the airport,” Nnabue stated.

During the ceremony, the Group Managing Director of PH Airport Limited, Eyo Asuquo, outlined an ambitious roadmap for the facility.

Leveraging Port Harcourt’s prime location within the Gulf of Guinea, the concessionaire aims to transform the airport into a premier commercial and transit hub for the West African sub-region.

Beyond standard management, the company pledged to pump substantial investments into state-of-the-art infrastructure, elevate operational standards, and ignite local economic growth.

“Our vision goes beyond taking over management. We are committed to driving development, expanding opportunities, and creating even more jobs through airport-related activities and targeted investments,” Asuquo explained.

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