When work began on the site in January 2020, not many believed that the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport would become a reality soon. Apart from the tendency for government projects in Nigeria to drag needlessly, there was the COVID-19 pandemic that dragged the world into a dark tunnel barely two months after. Doubts rose over the dream-like the pungent smell of a cheap Arabian perfume as folks wondered how it would survive the global shutdown.
Barely one year after, it is heart-warming that the state governor, Willie Obiano, did not succumb to the doubts or fears but kept his eyes on the prize and on account of that, a huge monument is finally sprouting out of the soil of Umueri.
Just on March 26, a highly elated Obiano told the joint committee of the National Assembly when he led them on inspection of the project that the Anambra Cargo Airport, located in Umueri, Anambra East Local Government Area, would be operational in April this year.
Obiano said during the inspection tour of the facilities that his administration was determined to deliver the airport in view of its enormous economic importance to the state, South-East zone and Nigeria at large.
For context, Anambra State is the leading economic hub in South-East Nigeria, with 63 active markets. These include the Onitsha Main Market, the largest retail market in West Africa, located just a few kilometres to the airport; the famous Nnewi Spare Parts Market, among others. The cargo wing of the airport will certainly serve the needs of many importers in these markets.
While there are arguments questioning the viability of the airport, those who know say given the quantum of commercial activities that go on in Anambra State, especially in the big market cities of Onitsha and Nnewi, the Anambra airport is one airport whose viability is guaranteed even before it starts operations.
They argue that Anambra has a large number of restless, always-on-their-feet population. It is also the state with the least poverty rate in Nigeria at 15 percent, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This also means that many people from the state can afford the slightly steep cost of air travels.
This is a huge business opportunity for airlines as well as other ancillary services, such as travel agencies, restaurants, Bureau de Change operators, retailers, cab drivers, car hire services, and so on.
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While AirPeace, the leading airline in Nigeria at the moment, is owned by an Anambra citizen, Allen Onyema, two other entrepreneurs from the state – Obiora Okonkwo and Chidi Anyaegbu – have also recently floated new airlines, United Airlines and Havila Airlines, respectively. These Anambra entrepreneurs, seeing the viability of the airport, would also gladly deploy their aircraft to serve the needs of businesses and individuals.
Obiano gives April operational date
Obiano, during the inspection, expressed satisfaction with the speed and quality of work at the site since January last year when execution effectively started and assured that by the end of April air operation would have started full bloom.
“This airport will be functional next month and we are working night and day to realise that,” he said.
He said the Anambra Cargo Airport has a satellite landing system which would make it possible for airplanes to land anytime of the day and in all weather.
“One other important thing is that this is the only airport in Nigeria that has a satellite landing system. You can confirm that from Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority,” Obiano said.
“We did that deliberately because this is going to be one of the busiest in Africa because of the orientation of our people who are business people and travellers,” he said.
Speaking on the technical details of the project, Marcel Ifejiofor, Anambra State Commissioner for Works, said it has two runways with 100 percent erosion control which would prevent flooding during rain.
He said the airport is a high-tech project with good local content, adding that it was being executed by a competent company under the supervision of some of the best consultants in the aviation sector.
“This runway has 06, 024, it has a length of 3.7klm, the width is 60 metres, 45 metres carriageway and 15 metres shoulders and the category is 4F, meaning it can take any Airbus,” Ifejofor said.
“The orientation is that you can land on two sides, you can land on 06 or 024; it has category-2 light and satellite landing system, one-kilometre racer to take care of overrun; we have four grids on either side and a diversion channel to Oyi River,” he said.
Commendations trail project
Smart Adeyemi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, applauded Obiano’s vision and commitment towards building a world-class airport.
“Aviation is key to socio-economic development for any political entity. We have heard about this airport and decided to come and see for ourselves. We are highly delighted because, from all considerations, this is one of the best we have,” Adeyemi said.
“Most Nigeria airports are not viable but they are essential. Lagos airport contributes about 65 percent to our aviation but I can say that next to Lagos is where we are standing,” he said.
Uche Ekwunife, who represents Anambra Central in the Senate, though of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said during the inspection that Obiano (who is of the All Progressives Grand Alliance) deserved commendation for what he was doing on the airport project.
“Irrespective of political affiliation, when you see good work, you commend it. I want to commend you, my governor. To say that I am proud of this project is an understatement. I am truly very proud of this project,” said Ekwunife, a key leader of the opposition in the state who is contesting for the Anambra governorship election under the PDP.
“I want to say that for any viable business to thrive in any state, aviation is very critical. And I believe that this is a very, very viable project and it’s a legacy project,” she said, harping on the economic benefits of the airport.
Musa Nuhu, director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who was in Anambra State on March 25 to inspect the facilities, described the Anambra International Cargo/Passenger Airport as one of the best airports in Nigeria.
“I am amazed, almost speechless, at the level of work, and the level of compliance with our regulatory requirements and also with international standards and recommended practices,” Nuhu said.
He said his tour of the airport had given him a clear view of what the Obiano administration had achieved with the project.
“We have gone round the airport. We have a runway of 3.7km with a runway safety area on both ends of the airport of about 1,000 metres. There’s no airport in Nigeria that has a racer area of 1,000 metres at both ends of the runway. With two taxiways. We have gone to the tower, the control tower is amazing certainly if not one of the best control towers in Nigeria today,” said Nuhu, who was the Nigerian representative in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council before his current appointment.
“We have seen the fire service station. Amazing. It’s going to be a CAT 955 firefighting station which will allow big planes and international flights to be landing and taking off here once flight resumes.”
“The water treatment plant is amazing. It takes care of the need of not only the airport but also of the firefighting service. We have seen the emergency evacuation centre, trauma centre in case, God forbid, anything happens. There’s an arrangement to deal with any eventuality. I have seen the operational fence, I have seen the perimeter fence, significantly done or almost completed. And in the vehicle earlier today, I had said that Anambra means business. And I mean it when I say Anambra means business,” he said.
He said when this airport is completed, it would be “a significant enabler of the economy and growth of this area, the state and the surrounding states here”.
During a recent tour of the airport by the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo led by its president-general, George Obiozor, the members said they were impressed by what they saw.
“I have been hearing about the airport, but there is a difference between what you hear and what you see. Today, I have seen the airport and I am impressed,” said Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, owner of the defunct Oriental Airlines.
“As most of you know, I am an engineer. I specialized in highway and hydraulics. I built the Enugu Airport as a very young engineer. I want to say that what Governor Obiano is building here is not for Anambra State but for the entire South East. This is very important,” Iwuanyanwu said.
What to know about the airport
In clearer terms, Obiano is currently completing one of the most modern airports in Africa. At 3.7km long and 60 metres wide, the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport in Umueri has the second-longest runway in Nigeria, next to only Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos.
The runway is designed and built to enable landing from either side, and experts say that may give it a slight edge. It is a CAT 2-type runway with a ground lighting of 270mm.
The airport terminal is designed to accommodate 400 persons. It has three floors fitted with escalators and lifts for smooth and easy movement.
It was designed with the possibilities of a future expansion in mind. The apron measures 300x200mx560mm of reinforced concrete that can take six sizeable aircraft at once.
The apron is serviced by two standard taxiways that measure 35m wide with shoulders. It also has three ultramodern firefighting trucks and three 6×6 crash-tender with 770hp. The car park can comfortably take 400 cars. The airport will be equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) which will guarantee a safe landing for airplanes at night.
Work began on the site in January 2020. When COVID-19 struck, doubts arose as to whether the dream would be realised, but work went on at the site day and night, all through the shutdown and the recrudescence of the pandemic early this year. Work is still progressing at a blistering pace. The basic structures are all set. The central access road to the airport which leads to Enugu-Onitsha Expressway has a bridge and a big culvert which have both been constructed. Sooner than later, the road will be completed.
