FAAN, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, has mandated all Heads of Operations to utilize the newly introduced nomenclatures in all official correspondences.
This directive was conveyed in a letter dated June 19, 2023, by Mrs. Olatunji R. Joke, serving as a reminder to all Head of Operations about the obligatory usage of the updated nomenclatures.
Recalling a recent press release issued by Odutayo Oluseyi, the Head of Press and Public Affairs at the Ministry of Aviation, it was announced that 15 airports in Nigeria had been renamed in honor of distinguished Nigerians. The decision to rename these airports had been approved by the immediate past President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.).
The renamed airports, as stated in the press release, are as follows: Akure International Airport, now named after Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu; Benin International Airport, known as Oba Akinzua II; Dutse International Airport, renamed Muhammed Nuhu Sanusi; Ebonyi International Airport Okadigbo, now referred to as Chuba Wilberforce; and Gombe International Airport, renamed Brigadier Zakari Maimalari.
Additionally, the renamed airports include Ibadan International Airport (Samuel Ladoke Akintola); Ilorin International Airport (General Tunde Abdullahi Idiagbon); Kaduna International Airport (Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina); and Maiduguri International Airport (President Muhammadu Buhari).
The remaining renamed airports are as follows: Makurdi International Airport, now named after Joseph Sarwuan Tarka; Minna International Airport, renamed Mall. Abubakar Imam; Nasarrawa International Airport, named after Sheikh Usman Danfodio; Osubi International Airport, renamed Alfred Diete Spiff; Port Harcourt International Airport, now known as Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo; and Yola International Airport, which has been renamed Lamido Aliyu Mustapha Airport.
Truth Live News reports that in light of these developments, it is evident that the alteration of airport names has come to stay.