The renaming of the airports was contained in a memo by the Federal Ministry of Aviation dated June 1, 2023, and signed by Director of Airport Operations, Joke Olatunji.
The statement noted that the President renamed the airports “as part of reforms of the Aviation sector.”
The Maiduguri Airport was renamed after former president Muhammadu Buhari, Port Harcourt Airport was renamed after Obafemi Awolowo, while the Nasarawa Airport immortalised the late founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman Dan Fodio.
Also, the Airport in Benin was renamed after the late Oba of Benin, Oba Akenzua II, Ebonyi Airport after the late Senate President Chuba Okadigbo, and the Ibadan Airport after the late Premier of the old Western Region, Ladoke Akintola.
Below is the full list of renamed airports:
1. Akure Airport – Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu
2. Benin Airport – Oba Akenzua II
3. Dutse Airport – Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi
4. Ebonyi Airport – Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo
5. Gombe Airport – Brigadier Zakari Maimalari
6. Ibadan Airport – Samuel Ladoke Akintola
7. Ilorin Airport – Gen. Tunde Idiagbon
8. Kaduna Airport – Hassan Usman Katsina
9. Maiduguri Airport – Gen. Mumammadu Buhari
10. Makurdi Airport – Joseph Sarwuan Tarka
11. Minna Airport – Mallam Abubakar Imam
12. Nassarawa Airport – Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio
13. Osubi Airport – Alfred Diete Spiff
14. Port Harcourt Airport – Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo
15. Yola Airport – Lamido Aliyu Mustapha
