Aviation
AIC battles FAAN over concession agreement
By Oyise OGHENE
LAGOS: The airport environment was thrown into a state of pandemonium and free for all as the nation witnessed yet another war yesterday, now between the A.I.C Limited owned by Chief Harry Akande and FAAN over the construction of A.I.C Hilton Hotel at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Biztellers was at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Lagos and gathered that the situation at the VIP car park where the tussle between both parties were going on, officials of A.I.C Limited chased out FAAN officials from the landed property which was concessioned to it to build the A.I.C Hilton Hotel in 1998.
It was further gathered that FAAN had illegally broke into the landed property by destroying the fence and the gate house sited by A.I.C Limited on the land against court interlocutory injunction given by Justice R.O. Nwodo on the 18th, February 2002 restraining FAAN from taking possession of the land as well as disturbing A.I.C Limited’s workers or contractors whenever they want to carry out their construction work.
Biztellers also reports that after chasing out the officials of FAAN off the land, A.I.C officials erected the fence that was hitherto broken by FAAN which gave the agency the opportunity of using the land as a VIP car park for some days now.
Speaking to Biztellers, General Manager, Administration and Business Development, Chief Niyi Akande who spoke on behalf of the International Business mogul who was also present at the site, Chief Harry Akande said that A.I.C Limited got a bid from FAAN on the 17th, February 1998 to build an A.I.C Hilton Hotel in a concession agreement spanning for 50 years but added that FAAN came all of a sudden to disrupt the project while the construction work of the hotel was in progress which was against the initial agreement entered into by both parties.
According Chief Akande, since then both parties had been in the Federal High Court which ruled in favour of A.I.C Limited restraining FAAN from taking over the landed property adding that in the arbitration headed by Justice Friday Esun, he also awarded a fine to FAAN to pay A.I.C Limited 46 million dollars for lost of profit and income that A.I.C had suffered for the hotel that should have been built and opened ten years ago.
He said ’’By bid that was dated 17th, February 1998, FAAN gave us a 50 years lease on this land stretching all the way down for the construction of our international 5 star hotel that will be connected to the airport terminal, this portion is where it is supposed to link the terminal and we have been in peaceful concession since that time. But at a time when FAAN decided to determine the lease, we challenged it at the Federal High court, you know they chased our men off the site around 2000, 2001, so we went to court and at the Federal High Court Justice R.O. Nwodo gave an interlocutory injunction that FAAN or its servants or its agents should not disturb, harass or eject A.I.C Limited people, our workers or contractors from the site and that was even in May 2002 and that has been subsisting subject to us going to arbitration’’
‘’We went for arbitration and the arbitration ran from 2002 which was just decided about two years ago. It was done by late Justice Friday Esun, he gave an award which he said that FAAN was wrong to have prevented A.I.C from building the hotel and FAAN was wrong for disturbing and harassing A.I.C on the site, so he gave a fine against FAAN that they should pay A.I.C about 46 million dollars for lost of profit and income that A.I.C had suffered for the hotel that should have been opened ten years ago’’ he stressed.
According to Chief Akande, ‘’FAAN officials came in last week, broke the fence and then destroyed our gate house and they came in and started clearing the land and ask people to come in to park their cars which is a criminal bridge of law, so we have blogged the place so that they cannot take out that truck because that will serve as evident in court’’
When contacted at the time of filing this report, General Manager Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati said that he was aware of the situation pointing out that, he was going to issue a statement to that effect to lay bare the side of FAAN on the on-going dispute between the agency and A.I.C Limited.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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