Aviation stakeholders have urged state governments planning cargo airports to adopt workable business plans to ensure sustainability and economic value.
They warned that building airports without clear plans could waste scarce resources needed for critical sectors like health, education, power, water, and roads.
A cargo airport is designed primarily for transporting goods rather than passengers, handling items like agricultural produce, machinery, raw materials, and commercial goods. They typically feature warehouses, freight terminals, specialized handling equipment, customs facilities, and runways capable of accommodating large aircraft.
Unlike passenger airports, cargo airports focus on efficiency in logistics, storage, and goods movement.
Reports indicate that no fewer than 15 states have pursued agro-cargo airports, most of which are either incomplete or not viable even when finished. Many were built for political visibility rather than economic logic, with some poorly located far from production hubs or logistics corridors.
Capt. John Ojikutu, CEO of Centurion Security and Safety, said a strong business plan determines whether a cargo airport will succeed. Poorly planned airports often become abandoned projects, wasting billions of naira that could serve broader public needs.
“Poorly planned airports can divert funds from essential services. It amounts to wastage of resources that could have gone to education, health, power, water, and roads,” Ojikutu said.
Proper planning, he noted, requires aligning cargo demand, airline partnerships, funding, and regulatory approvals before construction begins. Citing Nasarawa State’s airport as an example, he said the facility cost about N10 billion but remains largely unused since its commissioning.
In contrast, Ogun State’s Gateway International Airport has adopted a viable business model. Passenger operations began in October 2025, with cargo services planned for 2026. Its four-kilometre runway can accommodate large cargo aircraft, positioning it as a logistics hub in West Africa.
Mr. Abdulmalik Musa, Business Development Manager at Abuja Aero Contractors of Nigeria Limited, stressed that cargo airports require more detailed planning than passenger airports due to higher financial and operational risks.
He highlighted challenges including poor ground infrastructure, inefficient customs processes, and lack of national cargo strategy or integration with seaports, roads, and rail logistics.
Currently, Lagos handles over 80% of Nigeria’s air cargo traffic, with Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt playing minor roles. Lagos handled 116.7 million kilograms of cargo in 2024 out of a national total of 159.4 million kilograms, with exports increasing.
Stakeholders concluded that sustainable cargo airports demand strategic planning, viable business models, integration into logistics networks, and private sector collaboration. Without these, such projects risk becoming costly symbols of misplaced priorities.
