Yobe Airport: Reps Approve ₦100.5bn Federal Government Reimbursement

The House of Representatives has approved a ₦100.5 billion promissory note programme to repay the Yobe State Government for constructing the Muhammadu Buhari International Cargo Airport in Damaturu, following the Federal Government’s decision to take over the facility.

The approved amount stands at ₦100,509,017,234.55.

Lawmakers endorsed the reimbursement on Wednesday after considering a report from the House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management, which reviewed the airport project and its supporting financial and technical documents.

The committee’s chairman, Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, told journalists at the National Assembly in Abuja that the panel carried out due diligence and inspected the facility before recommending the payment.

According to him, officials from the Federal Ministries of Aviation and Finance, as well as other relevant agencies, submitted technical assessments and documentation for consideration.

“After due diligence and considerations, and after undertaking comprehensive oversight of the airport, receiving the reports of technical officials at the Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Finance and the accounting office, we recently considered and approved the reimbursement of the airport to Yobe State Government,” Nalaraba said.

He said the committee was satisfied with the airport’s infrastructure and equipment, adding that technical professionals had certified the facilities as meeting the necessary standards.

The committee’s report indicated that the Federal Ministry of Aviation inspected the completed project and confirmed that the quality of work met the requirements for federal takeover.

It also found that the Yobe State Government had paid the contractors responsible for the construction, while the Bureau of Public Procurement certified that due process had been followed.

In reaching its decision, the committee examined submissions from the state government, the Federal Ministries of Finance and Aviation, the Federal Executive Council and the Bureau of Public Procurement.

The review covered contract agreements, completion certificates, proof of payments to contractors, due-process assessments and the bureau’s certificate of no objection.

President Bola Tinubu had sought legislative approval for the promissory note programme in a communication read to the House on October 13, 2026.

The request was made pursuant to the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2003, and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, which provide for legislative approval of such programmes.

Promissory notes are among the instruments used to settle outstanding Federal Government liabilities, including reimbursements owed to state governments for projects carried out on behalf of the federal authorities.

Yobe airport targets agricultural cargo market

The airport is expected to support economic activity in Yobe State and improve access to markets for agricultural produce from the North-East.

Nalaraba said the project could attract investment and create additional value for the state and the wider country.

“When you see a critical infrastructure being constructed in a state, I think it’s a value addition, first, to the people of the state. Secondly, it will attract some level of investment to the state and the nation at large,” he said.

Mohammed Jajere, a member of the committee representing Yobe State, said the airport could serve as a regional cargo hub, particularly because of the area’s agricultural output and availability of raw materials.

“Yobe, as you all know, is an agrarian state. We are into agriculture and a lot of raw materials are abundantly available in the state, where we expect that the cargo airport will be used as a hub, especially in the North-East region, where you have these cargo airports,” Jajere said.

He said the facility could provide a channel for transporting agricultural products from the region to other markets.

Commercial viability raises questions

The approval comes amid questions about the commercial sustainability of airports across Nigeria.

Journalists at the briefing cited a report attributed to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria indicating that only three of the country’s 22 domestic and international airports were commercially viable.

Nalaraba responded that the committee relied on assessments by the relevant aviation authorities and said the technical evaluation supported the airport’s readiness for commercial operations.

“The Ministry of Aviation, FAAN, in my earlier statement, I said technical FAAN has all gone and satisfied that this airport is viable and is ready for commercial use,” he said.

He added that the project had passed the required administrative and technical reviews before lawmakers considered the reimbursement.

The committee chairman stressed that the approved sum represented repayment for expenditure already incurred rather than a fresh allocation for construction.

“This is reimbursement. This money has been spent. The Federal and state governments spent this money to construct that cargo international airport,” he said.

He also noted that Yobe State had undertaken the project despite aviation falling within the Federal Government’s exclusive legislative jurisdiction.

Under the proposed arrangement, the Federal Government’s takeover would transfer responsibility for the airport, including its future maintenance and development, to the federal authorities.

The committee indicated that the reimbursement would be made as a one-off payment, although the detailed repayment arrangements were not fully explained at the briefing.

The key test following the approval will be whether the Federal Government can manage the facility effectively and generate sufficient cargo traffic, particularly from the agricultural sector, to support its long-term commercial viability.

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