Ibom Air to carry one million passengers per year

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Government, on Thursday, said with the completion of the new international terminal building, Ibom Air would become the first regional hub in Africa.

Speaking during an inspection of progress work at the new terminal building, the Project Consultant of the facility, Engr. Francis Uwah said the terminal is estimated to accommodate one million passengers per year

Uwah explained that over 200 technologies were included in the building to make it an automated, intelligent passenger building, adding that efforts were being made to ensure the building is completed before May 209, 2023.

“Apart from the international airports we have in Nigeria, this is going to be the first regional hub within the West African, African region. This is going to be a stopover for planes for people going to Gambia, Cameroon and so on. Some of these planes do two, three country booking; this is going to be a first of its kind regionally.

“There is more than 200 technologies in this building which would not just make it a terminal passenger building but an automated, intelligent passenger building,” he said. 

The consultant explained that foreign exchange inflation and bureaucratic bottlenecks were affecting international procurement and making it difficult for the project to progress speedily.

He, however, stated that to overcome these challenges, the State government was working out the possibility of infusing indigenous technology in the construction of the terminal building and relying less on foreign technology so as not to slow down the work unnecessarily.

“The contractor is having issues with foreign exchange; foreign purchases and these snags are affecting international procurement. These are things that were not foreseen. So many policies within the Nigerian framework are making it difficult for people to do things within Nigeria and outside Nigeria, especially procurement.

“We are trying to liaise with the contractor to see how we can do more indigenous technology in the airport so that we rely less on foreign technology which the bureaucratic processes are delaying.

“Also, the inflation rate all over the world, not only in Nigeria is affecting a lot of things in terms of purchasing power but the governor has addressed all these because he really wants this project completed.

“Things like that is making use rejig the project level, look at our analysis, look for a new critical part, and try to finish this project before May 29,” he stated.

Uwah revealed that over 100 containers containing equipment needed to complete the terminal building would arrive in the state within a month, adding that mechanical and electrical teams from Europe, America and India are part of the project.