Move aims to protect critical aviation infrastructure and ensure key personnel live within airport zones….
President Bola Tinubu has approved the exclusion of all properties owned by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) within and around airports from being sold to private individuals.
The approval, which received the backing of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, was announced by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN).
For decades, FAAN has maintained residential and operational quarters inside and near airport facilities. These properties were originally built to accommodate essential aviation staff, including air traffic controllers, rescue and firefighting teams, aviation security (AVSEC) personnel, and navigational technicians, whose proximity to work is crucial for safety and emergency response.
In 2025, FAAN had begun demolishing disputed residential structures in Kano, insisting that the quarters were reserved for aviation staff and had not been legitimately transferred or sold to private individuals.
With the latest presidential directive, retired staff or private individuals currently occupying FAAN-owned quarters may be asked to vacate to make room for critical workers.
Announcing the decision in a video posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Keyamo explained that the policy was necessary to safeguard aviation operations and guarantee that key technical staff are housed within airport premises to respond swiftly to emergencies.
“We sought the approval of the FEC to exclude properties owned by the Federal Airports Authority in and around airports in the country from disposal to private individuals by a committee called the Presidential Committee on Properties,” Keyamo said.
He clarified that the affected properties had earlier been listed for disposal by a Presidential Committee on Government Properties established under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Keyamo said the move would help resolve long-standing ownership disputes, noting that some individuals had laid claim to the airport quarters under previous arrangements.
“The airport is an environment where you can have an emergency at any time, and as a result, you need critical staff such as firefighters, AVSEC officers, and navigational staff to stay within government quarters inside the airport,” the minister explained.
Reaffirming the administration’s position, Keyamo added:
“The President has graciously said we should exclude all of those properties from disposal to private individuals. Anyone claiming to have bought them will not be given ownership. These properties were originally excluded, and now there is a formal memo to that effect.”
The minister emphasized that the directive applies to all FAAN-owned properties nationwide, reinforcing the government’s commitment to protecting aviation infrastructure and maintaining operational readiness at Nigeria’s airports.
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