Reps Approve N100.51bn Reimbursement for Yobe Airport

The House of Representatives has approved a N100.51 billion promissory note programme to reimburse the Yobe State Government for constructing the Muhammadu Buhari International Cargo Airport in Damaturu.

The approval followed the adoption of a report by the House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management, which reviewed the Federal Government’s request to settle its financial obligation to the state following the decision to take over the facility.

The approved amount stands at N100,509,017,234.55.

Chairman of the committee, Abubakar Nalaraba, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday.

Nalaraba said the committee inspected the airport and examined technical reports and supporting documents provided by officials of the Federal Ministries of Aviation and Finance and other relevant agencies before recommending approval.

The committee’s report confirmed that the Federal Ministry of Aviation had inspected the completed facility and found that the construction met the required standards for federal takeover. It also established that the Yobe State Government had paid the contractors and that the Bureau of Public Procurement certified compliance with due process.

The documents reviewed included contract agreements, certificates of completion, evidence of payments and relevant procurement approvals.

President Bola Tinubu had requested the National Assembly’s approval for the promissory note programme in a letter read during plenary on October 13, 2026.

The request falls under the legal framework governing public debt management and fiscal responsibility, which requires legislative approval for relevant debt-settlement arrangements. Promissory notes are among the financial instruments used by the Federal Government to settle verified obligations, including eligible claims by state governments.

Nalaraba said the airport represented a significant infrastructure investment that could stimulate economic activities and attract investment to Yobe State and the country.

A committee member, Mohammed Jajere, said the facility could serve as a cargo hub for the North-East, particularly for transporting agricultural produce and raw materials.

Jajere noted that Yobe’s agricultural potential made the airport important for connecting farmers and businesses to wider markets through improved transportation of their products.

Addressing concerns about the commercial viability of Nigerian airports, following reports that only three of the country’s 22 domestic and international airports were commercially viable, Nalaraba said the committee relied on technical assessments from aviation authorities, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

He maintained that the relevant authorities had assessed the facility and considered it ready for commercial operations.

The committee chairman emphasised that the proposed payment was reimbursement for money already spent by the Yobe State Government, rather than fresh funding for construction.

He added that the state had undertaken the project despite aviation being within the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the Federal Government.

With the proposed takeover, the Federal Government would assume responsibility for the airport’s future management, maintenance and development.

The committee recommended a one-off reimbursement of the full ₦100.51 billion claimed by the state and approved by the Federal Executive Council, although the payment schedule was not detailed during the briefing.

The proposal will proceed through the legislative process for the necessary final action.

The airport’s long-term economic value will depend on its ability to attract cargo operators, sustain commercial operations and provide farmers and businesses across Yobe and the wider North-East with reliable access to domestic and international markets.