By XINHUA
The Nigerian government on Monday released a request for qualifications for the concession of four international airport terminals in an effort to encourage the private sector to participate in infrastructure investment in pursuit of healthy aviation growth.
In a statement issued in Lagos, the largest city of Nigeria, Hassan Musa, permanent secretary of in the Ministry of Aviation, said the airports surrounding communities were intended to develop into efficient, profitable, self-sustaining, and commercial hubs which would create more jobs and develop local industries through a public-private partnership (PPP) project.
The four airports opened to private investment are the international airports in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt, the four major cities in the most populous African country.
“The federal government through the ministry of aviation is inviting bids from reputable airport developers/operators/financiers/consortia for pre-qualification for the concession of selected airports terminals under a public-private partnership arrangement,” he said.
“The airport terminal concession is one of the critical projects under the sector roadmap of the government and fits well within the scope of the ministry’s strategic plan for the sector.”
According to the official, the execution of the project is meant to achieve the government’s objective in terms of air transport value chain growth.
To be prequalified for consideration as a prospective PPP partner for the project, the prospective firms/consortia must have the technical, operational, and financial capability, Musa said, adding that the ministry urged the interested international parties to partner with local firms in compliance with the requirements of the country’s local content development policy.
The Nigerian government has in recent years been encouraging investment in national infrastructure through private sector funding, expecting to address the country’s physical infrastructure deficit which hampers economic development.