Federal Government temporarily closes Enugu Airport for emergency runway repairs

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Federal Government temporarily closes Enugu Airport for emergency runway repairs


Air Peace, Ibom Air, United Nigeria Airline announce diversion plans










The Federal Government  has announced the temporary closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, for emergency runway repairs.

Spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Obiageli Orah discount send this in a statement on Saturday.

According to Orah, the decision to close Enugu Airport came on the heels of a  sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway. To fix the problem, the FAAN director said emergency repairs will be conducted on the affected portion of the runway from April 22nd to May 6th, 2025.

She said :" 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.

"FAAN appeals to all airport users and stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation during this time. All flights to this airport will be diverted to nearby airports.

"We sincerely apologise for the late and unexpected notice regarding this closure."

Meanwhile, some domestic airlines have reacted to the development , suspending flight operations into the aerodrome.

On its part, Air Peace said it has  suspended   flights into and out of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu over safety  concerns of the runway.


A statement signed by its spokesperson, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo said flights scheduled for the airport will be operated into and out of Asaba.


It added that the safety of its passengers is a priority to the airline, adding that the period would afford Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to carry out necessary repairs on the runway.


“We regret to inform you that all flights scheduled to Akanu Ibiam International Airport are temporarily suspended due to safety concerns of the Enugu airport runway. The situation of the runway has been causing major disruptions to Air Peace Flights, hence the decision to temporarily suspend further flights into this airport until further notice.


“At Air Peace, we prioritize safety first over inconvenience, we believe that if flights are not operated into this Aerodrome in the few days, it will  allow FAAN the opportunity to perform necessary repairs on the runway.



“To this end, 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 might cause .”

On its part, Ibom Air announced suspension of flights to Enugu within the affected period.

In a statement, the state - run airline said :" We have been advised that Enugu Airport (ENU) will be temporarily closed from 23:00hrs on the 18th of April,  until 27th April 2025, to allow for essential runway maintenance works.

"In light of this, we have suspended all flights to and from Enugu within the affected period. 

Our Customer Contact Centre will reach out to all passengers already booked on affected flights. In the meantime, passengers may explore alternative travel options via our desks at Lagos (LOS), Abuja (ABV), or Enugu (ENU) airports.

"We sincerely regret the inconvenience this disruption may cause and appreciate your understanding. 

"The safety of our passengers remains our top priority, and we look forward to resuming full operations in Enugu once the runway maintenance is completed."

United Nigeria Airlines while regretting the development , has also suspended flights operations into Enugu.

But, to assuage the impact of the closure on its passengers' Easter travel will be diverting today's schedule meant for Enugu into Anambra Airport.



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