The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has introduced plans to briefly shut the runway at Sam Mbakwe World Shipment Airport in Owerri, Imo State, for 25 days to hold out very important maintenance, resurfacing and enlargement works.
The deliberate closure was once disclosed in a remark issued on Thursday, October 8, 2026, by means of FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Shopper Coverage, Henry Agbebire, and shared during the authority’s reputable X account.
In step with FAAN, the closure is tentatively scheduled to start out on October 20, 2026, and ultimate roughly 25 days, matter to ultimate affirmation.
FAAN cites worsening runway prerequisites
FAAN defined that the proposed shutdown was once brought on by means of worsening runway prerequisites, with harm led to by means of extended deterioration and up to date heavy rainfall elevating considerations about operational protection.
The authority mentioned the rehabilitation would contain repairing broken pavement, treating cracks and resurfacing affected sections to fortify runway protection forward of the expected build up in passenger and flight site visitors all over the Christmas season.
- “The deliberate intervention has change into important because of the deterioration of sections of the runway, together with potholes and intensive floor cracking, which were additional irritated by means of contemporary heavy rainfall,” the authority said.
- “Those maintenance may also come with the extension of the runway, which can permit the airport to house wide-body plane as site visitors to the area grows. This enlargement is geared toward bettering passenger convenience and facilitating a extra seamless trip revel in,” FAAN mentioned.
Past restoring the present infrastructure, the venture is anticipated to make bigger the runway’s capability to house better plane as call for for air trip to the southeastern area will increase.
FAAN instructed passengers making plans to trip thru Owerri all over the proposed closure to touch their airways for updates on flight schedules and selection preparations.
The authority added that the showed closure and reopening dates can be communicated following additional consultations with related stakeholders.
FAAN’s earlier airport rehabilitation tasks
The deliberate rehabilitation at Owerri airport follows an identical infrastructure repairs and improve programmes undertaken by means of FAAN at different primary airports throughout Nigeria.
Those interventions replicate the desire for periodic maintenance and infrastructure enhancements to handle aviation protection and operational potency.
Not like the runway maintenance in Enugu and the proposed intervention in Owerri, the Lagos venture was once designed to modernise aging terminal infrastructure whilst minimising disruptions to passenger operations.
The deliberate intervention may be anticipated to fortify the airport’s skill to house better plane as passenger and flight site visitors to the southeastern area will increase.