Thursday December 18, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
Former democratically elected Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong (Arc.) Victor Attah, has called on the Federal Government to designate the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, as a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub for West Africa to boost development and revenue generation.
Attah made the call on Wednesday 18 December during an interactive session with journalists at the quarterly meeting of the Akwa Ibom Council of Elders in Uyo.
According to him, while the Federal Government has already recognized and designated the facility as an international airport, more value would be added if it is complemented with an MRO hub.
“The Federal Government has recognized and designated Victor Attah Airport as an international airport, but to add value to that, it should be complemented with a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub established in Akwa Ibom State,” Attah said.
He noted that several millions of dollars are spent annually by airlines on aircraft maintenance abroad, stressing that establishing an MRO hub in Akwa Ibom would help Nigeria retain such funds and position the state ahead of others in the aviation sector.
“Several millions of dollars are spent every year for maintenance and repairs. We started the MRO idea and we want to remain ahead of others. We want the governor to go further and get the Federal Government to designate the Victor Attah International Airport as the maintenance hub for West Africa,” he added.
Attah also called on the government to open up the airport to more airlines, lamenting the limited flight options into Uyo.
“As we speak, you can’t easily get a flight from Lagos or Abuja to Uyo because it is only Ibom Air that is operational. People say it is because of landing charges, but I don’t know about that because I am not an aviation expert,” he said.
