Mrs.Olubunmi Kuku

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) is  repositioning  its airports to be credible, profitable and sustainable platforms where capital can be deployed with confidence and clear visibility on returns.

To achieve this, it is building and sustaining market confidence in infrastructure reliability and capacity to ensure that runways,taxiways,aprons and terminal facilities at FAAN airports support the operations of modern fleets and increased traffic.

Managing Director of FAAN,Mrs.Olubunmi Kuku told participants at the just concluded Nigerian Aircraft Acquisition and Investment Summit held at the Federal Palace Hotel,Lagos.

She also said that planned and ongoing upgrades are being executed with an eye on efficiency, safety and international best practices.

“We understand that time is money, and complexity is a cost. We are simplifying processes, strengthening coordination among agencies at the airports, and deploying more technology to reduce bottlenecks and improve turnaround times.”

According to her,   FAAN IS committed to charges and fees that are transparent, predictable and justifiable, while ensuring that safety and service standards are not compromised. The goal is a framework where both the authority and the airlines can plan with clarity.

Speaking further,Mrs.Kuku noted that safety, security and compliance

are the backbone of investor confidence in aviation,saying” We are continually tightening our systems, enhancing staff capacity, and investing in modern equipment to meet and exceed international standards. A safe system is a bankable system.”

FAAN,according to her   welcomes stronger collaboration with local and international banks, leasing companies, export credit agencies and development finance institutions. Our doors are open to structure innovative solutions that align infrastructure development with fleet expansion by operators.

“This summit is timely. Aircraft acquisition is not just about buying assets; it is about enabling connectivity, trade, tourism, and national competitiveness.”

– For Nigerian airlines, the conversation here is about how to access modern, fuel-efficient aircraft on competitive terms.

– For investors and lessors, it is about assurance: that their assets will operate within a stable, well-governed environment.

– For government and agencies like FAAN, it is about aligning policy, regulation and infrastructure to support growth, while safeguarding the public interest.

She advised that platforms like this summit help us to align expectations, identify gaps, and design solutions that are practical, bankable and sustainable.

We should also situate our conversation within the wider African context.

The implementation of initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area and Single African Air Transport Market is steadily expanding the horizon for air transport across the continent.

Nigeria, by virtue of its size, economy and geographic location, is a natural hub for West and Central Africa. With the right investments in:

– fleet modernisation,

– airport infrastructure,

– cargo and logistics, and

– human capital,

we can position our country as a preferred gateway into and out of Africa.

This is not an abstract ambition. It is a concrete opportunity that investors and operators in this room can seize together.

Allow me to be very clear: FAAN does not see investors, airlines or financiers as counterpart to be managed, but as partners to be engaged.

We are committed to:

– continuous dialogue with operators and investors;

– refining our frameworks in response to credible feedback; and

– championing collaboration across government agencies to support this sector.

If there are pain points, we want to understand them. If there are bankable ideas, we want to help unlock them. If there are global best practices that can work in our context, we want to adopt and localise them.

Market confidence is not built by speeches alone. It is built by consistent, visible action. Our task at FAAN is to ensure that what we do, day by day, matches the commitments we are making here.

. Nigeria’s aviation market is fundamentally strong.Demand for air travel and air cargo is real, resilient and rising.

Government and agencies are committed to reforms and partnerships that make this sector more investable – from infrastructure upgrades to process efficiency and improved governance.

This is the right time to position for the next phase of growth in Nigerian aviation – whether as an operator, a financier, a lessor, or an infrastructure investor.