Following the closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu for emergency repairs, domestic airlines have now rerouted flights. Airlines like United Nigeria and Air Peace said that flights to Enugu have now been diverted to the Chinua Achebe Airport, Anambra and the Asaba International Airport, Asaba respectively.

United Nigeria Airline said in a statement that effective Saturday, 19th April, flights to Enugu have been suspended and rescheduled to operate to and from Chinua Achebe Airport, Anambra. The airline said: “We regret to inform you that due to the sudden and immediate closure of the runway/aerodrome at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu-resulting from the poor state of the runway and related safety concerns-all United Nigeria Airlines flights to and from Enugu, effective Saturday, 19th April, have been suspended. However, we understand the significant disruption this force majeure situation may cause to your Easter travel plans. As a result, we have rescheduled your flights for today, 19th April, to operate to and from Chinua Achebe Airport, Anambra, should this be convenient for you. Passengers willing to travel through Anambra Airport are kindly advised to be at the airport at the scheduled flight time.”

Air Peace also stated that the situation at Enugu airport runway has been causing major disruptions to its flights, hence the decision to temporarily suspend further flights into the airport until further notice and that all flights scheduled into and out of Enugu will now be operated from Asaba. “Please be informed that all flights scheduled into and out of Enugu will now be operated into and out of Asaba. We regret any inconvenience this change may have caused,” the airline said.

Google map shows that the road distance from Asaba Airport to Enugu is approximately 160-170 kilometers and the journey typically takes around three to four hours by car, depending on the traffic situation and the specific route taken, and how many stops the passenger takes along the way.The most common route would take a passenger across the Niger Bridge from Asaba into Onitsha, and then continue eastward to Enugu via the Onitsha-Enugu expressway.

For passengers that would be diverted to Anambra airport, the distance by road to Enugu is approximately 100-110 kilometers. The journey typically takes around two hours by car and it also depends on the traffic situation. The most direct route would take the passenger from the airport which is located in Umueri, Anambra State, eastward toward Enugu, through the Onitsha-Enugu expressway for part of the journey. This is shorter than the Asaba-to-Enugu route because the Anambra airport is already east of the Niger River and closer to Enugu.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), had in the early hours of Saturday, said that the Enugu airport will be temporarily shut down for emergency runway repairs. The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, said in a statement in the that this measure became necessary due to a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway. FAAN said that while the repairs are ongoing, all flights would be redirected to nearby airports.

She said: “There is a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway. Hence, emergency repairs will be conducted on that portion of the runway from April 22nd to May 6th, 2025. In compliance with Nigerian civil aviation regulations, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has, therefore, closed the runway during this period. As part of FAAN’s commitment to passenger safety and the modernisation of airport facilities, the runway will not be open for landings or takeoffs during the rehabilitation period. All flights to this airport will be diverted to nearby airports. We sincerely apologise for the late and unexpected notice regarding this closure.”

Why has the Enugu runway remained problematic?

The Enugu airport runway was fully rebuilt twice within a space of 10 years. The first was in 2009 during the administration of Stella Odua as part of the $500 million loan secured from China and the second was in 2019 during Hadi Sirika’s tenure, both Ministers of Aviation, where the contract was awarded to PW Construction Company for N4.13 billion. It was thereafter reopened in 2020 for operations.

However despite the billions sunk into the airport runway in a space of 10 years, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo said on his X handle on Saturday that when they when they came into office, they discovered that the waterlogged part of the runway was not properly constructed to take care of the problem, which led to constant cracks and potholes on the runway. He said the government has been carrying out constant palliative works on it, but the problem has not abated while the cracks on the runway continued widening into craters.

“It will be recalled that this same development led to the closure of the runway in August 2019 for one whole year and the contract for the total rehabilitation was awarded to a contractor. Unfortunately, when we came to office, we discovered that waterlogged part of the runway was not properly constructed to take care of the problem, leading to constant cracks and potholes on the runway. These obviously put the lives of the travelling public at great risk. We have been carrying out constant palliative works on it, but the problem has not abated and the cracks on the runway are becoming craters. I personally visited the airport some months after assuming office and expressed my total displeasure with the work done by the contractor,” Keyamo said. (Saturday Sun)