13 local and foreign companies put in bids to run Nigeria's four main international airports

THIRTEEN different consortia have submitted bids for consideration to  manage Nigeria's four main international airports under the new tendering programme launched last week by the Independent Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

Under the scheme, the numerous consortia, made up of both local and foreign companies, have submitted pre-qualification bids. In October 15, the federal government closed the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the concession of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and the Port Harcourt International Airport.

ICRC spokeswoman Manji Yarling, said that 13 companies submitted their RFQs before the closure of the exercise on October 25. She, however, declined to give further details, including the names of the local and foreign companies that submitted RFQs for the concession.

However, it appears that Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, the operators of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Terminal Two, Lagos, was among the firms that submitted the RFQs for the airport concession programme. Also, Maevis Nigeria, a former concessionaire with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, was also among the bidders.

Others, according to findings, include the operators of the Singapore’s Changi Airport, France’s Charles de Gaulle Airport and of Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Airport. Sources close to the development said local companies that applied for the concessions formed consortia with foreign partners, while global reputable airport managers, which also submitted their RFQs, formed alliances with some local partners.

Under the plans,  the Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano airports would be run under a concession for a minimum of 20 to 30 years. According to Nigeria's aviation ministry, the concession applied to the non-aeronautic assets of the airports located in the passenger and cargo terminals.

These comprise the assets from the entry door of the airport to the point of embarking and disembarking from an aircraft to the exit doors. Although the federal government has assured airport workers that none of them would lose their jobs as a result of the plan, aviation unions have continued to kick against the proposed concession.