LOKOJA — In a landmark move to reposition Kogi State as Nigeria’s premier North-Central logistics hub, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo officially signed and presented contract award letters on Wednesday for the construction of the Kogi State International Airport.
The ceremony, held at the Government House in Lokoja, saw the formal engagement of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Gamji Nigeria Limited. The project, situated on 4,000 hectares in the Zariagi area of the state capital, is designed to serve as a strategic alternative to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, potentially decongesting the federal capital’s air traffic.
Addressing stakeholders, Governor Ododo described the airport as a “legacy initiative” and a “catalytic project” meant to unlock the state’s agricultural and mineral potential.
”Kogi occupies a unique place in Nigeria’s aviation history; the first aircraft landing in the country took place on our soil,” the Governor remarked. “This project is not just about transportation; it is about trade, agro-exports, and making Kogi a natural hub linking the North, South, East, and West.”
The project is being financed through a N50 billion Sukuk bond, a sharia-compliant, asset-backed financial instrument. State officials confirmed that the funding is strictly dedicated to infrastructure, specifically the airport and the ongoing Lokoja International Market project.
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According to the Commissioner for Transportation, Hon. Atuluku Levi Victor, the selection of CCECC and Gamji followed a rigorous, transparent bidding process. The technical design phase, which took nearly nine months to complete, has already received the necessary regulatory nods.
The Zariagi International Airport is expected to facilitate large-scale cargo movement and business travel, significantly boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) once operational. Construction is slated to move at an accelerated pace, with the administration targeting completion within the next 36 months.
