The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri, Borno State, will commence international operations on January 1, 2025.
During a meeting with Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, Keyamo confirmed that the airport’s upgrade is complete and all relevant government agencies have been notified of the upcoming launch. He thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the project, highlighting that the North-East is the only region in Nigeria without an operational international airport.
“The establishment of an international airport in Maiduguri is crucial for accommodating flights from the Middle East. The airport has the necessary capacity, population, and infrastructure to support international operations,” Keyamo stated.
Governor Zulum emphasized that the airport’s upgrade will stimulate economic growth and improve connectivity across the subregion. “As the chairman of the Northeast Governors’ Forum, I assure you of the political will to ensure the successful implementation of this significant initiative,” he said.
Zulum was accompanied by key figures including Senators Mohammed Ali Ndume, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, and Kaka Shehu Lawan, as well as Borno APC Chairman Hon. Bello Ayuba and Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Engr. Abdullahi Musa Askira, among other senior officials.
