Festus Keyamo, the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, says the federal government has initiated the construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He revealed this on Monday in Abuja during the ministerial press briefing to mark President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office

He said that the project had been mired in controversy and delays since the Obasanjo administration.

“Since the Obasanjo era, it was controversy after controversy. Some efforts started during the last administration, so we have to acknowledge that.

“The necessity of a second runway has long been a critical issue for the nation’s capital. The danger of operating a nation’s capital with just one runway… Imagine foreign heads of state coming to Nigeria and there is a problem with the runway. Where are we going to divert them? Are we going to cancel the conference if they are coming for a conference?

“It is inconceivable that a nation’s capital would be operating on one runway and we have been doing it for many years,” he explained.

Keyamo revealed that the contractors had moved to the site and the construction of the second runway had started.

Meanwhile, Keyamo said that in addition to those developments, the ministry would ensure strict compliance with safety regulations and the continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s rating by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

He added that a significant development in Nigeria’s aviation sector was the resumption of cargo flights between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

“We have agreed that we are going to resume cargo flights between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. This has been suspended for a long time,” he announced.

Highlighting the importance of air cargo trade globally, he noted, “Globally, air cargo trade accounts for 35 percent of the world trade and, according to the International Air Transport Association, attracts about $6tn annually. We were missing within that sector.

“The resumption of these flights is seen as a first step in a broader strategy to enhance Nigeria’s participation in global air cargo trade.”