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…when Nigeria insists on one-size-fits-all approaches, or worse, politicizes investment processes, the result is stagnation. “If you want to do PPPs, do it the right way. Invite global airport operators to bid. Select the best offer and then step aside. Let professionals run the business
BY ANTHONY OMOH
Acting Managing Director of Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi, has cautioned that Nigeria’s aviation sector is limiting its growth by focusing solely on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as the only viable investment model. He argued that a broader airport investment approach must be considered, stressing the need for discipline and clarity of purpose in adopting globally proven frameworks.
Speaking during a high-level session on airport investment strategy, Mr. Uriesi urged stakeholders to broaden their thinking beyond rigid ideologies and consider diverse institutional arrangements that have worked elsewhere. The one-time managing director of FAAN argued that it is not the model that guarantees success, but how seriously it is implemented and professionally executed.
“I’m not here to advocate for PPPs alone,” he said. “From experience, I’ve moved past that school of thought. Across the world, airport ownership structures vary—government-run, private-owned, or PPPs. What matters is the seriousness with which the business is approached.”
Mr. Uriesi cited examples such as Dubai, Singapore, and Munich—all of which operate under government ownership yet have earned global acclaim for efficiency. He also referenced Atlanta and LAX, which are owned by their respective city governments and run as professional businesses. According to him, the model works because of strong governance and commercial discipline.
He went further to highlight his own experience at AXA, a PPP model involving government and strategic equity partners, which successfully transformed airport operations and became a benchmark in Africa. Other international examples of well-executed PPPs include Delhi and Mumbai Airports in India and Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo, Brazil.
On the fully private end of the spectrum, Mr. Uriesi listed British Airports Authority, Aéroports de Paris, and Aeroporti di Roma, emphasizing that private models, too, can deliver exceptional outcomes—provided they are professionally run.
“What you’re trying to achieve is not a model for its own sake, but well-run airport businesses. That is the goal,” he stated.
He warned that when Nigeria insists on one-size-fits-all approaches, or worse, politicizes investment processes, the result is stagnation. “If you want to do PPPs, do it the right way. Invite global airport operators to bid. Select the best offer and then step aside. Let professionals run the business,” he advised.
According to Mr. Uriesi, when airport investments are handled properly, the entire economy benefits—businesses thrive, jobs are created, and investor confidence grows. But when the process is flawed or self-serving, the damage extends to the wider aviation ecosystem.
Shifting focus to infrastructure planning, he lamented the lack of strategic thinking in airport development, warning against arbitrary construction of facilities without regard for passenger projections or future commercial returns.
“The airport business is a high-investment, high-return sector. But it must be based on science and long-term planning,” he explained. “You don’t build terminals a kilometre away from existing ones and then replicate aprons, utilities, and roads. That’s a waste of money and time.”
He emphasized that infrastructure must be designed with a clear understanding of traffic forecasts and a revenue plan that includes both aeronautical and non-aeronautical income streams.
“When you fragment airport infrastructure, you destroy commercial momentum. But when you consolidate international and domestic traffic in a shared space with proper planning, everyone earns,” he noted.
Mr. Uriesi underscored that the first step toward sustainable airport business is a comprehensive, professionally approved master plan—and adherence to it over time. He blamed Nigeria’s chaotic airport development on the absence of such guiding frameworks.
“People wake up and decide, ‘Let’s build a cargo terminal here’ or ‘Let’s drop a hangar there,’ without referring to a master plan. That’s how we sabotage our own growth,” he said. “Meanwhile, countries like Lomé have risen from modest beginnings to build smart, integrated airports simply by following a coherent plan.”
He again emphasized the need for a broader airport investment approach, urging Nigerian authorities to prioritize planning and execution over sentiment.
He concluded by urging government and private actors alike to put discipline, professionalism, and long-term thinking above quick wins or rigid dogma.
“The airport business is not guesswork. It is a settled science. If we do the hard work, Nigeria can become a global player—not just in aviation capacity, but in excellence,” Mr. Uriesi stated.
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