FAAN to Close Owerri Airport Runway for 25 Days for Repairs and Expansion

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) plans to shut the runway at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri, Imo State, for about 25 days to repair, resurface and expand it.

The agency announced the plan in a statement on Thursday, October 8, 2026, by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire. The statement was shared on FAAN’s official X account.

The closure is tentatively scheduled to start on October 20, 2026, and last roughly 25 days, pending final confirmation.

FAAN said the runway has deteriorated, with potholes and extensive surface cracking worsened by recent heavy rainfall. It said the condition raised operational safety concerns.

The rehabilitation will involve repairing damaged pavement, treating cracks and resurfacing affected sections ahead of the expected rise in passenger and flight traffic during the Christmas season.

“The planned intervention has become necessary due to the deterioration of sections of the runway, including potholes and extensive surface cracking, which have been further aggravated by recent heavy rainfall,” the authority said.

The project will also extend the runway, allowing the airport to accommodate wide-body aircraft as traffic to the region grows. FAAN said the expansion is meant to improve passenger comfort and make travel easier.

Passengers planning to travel through Owerri during the closure were advised to contact their airlines for updated flight schedules and alternative arrangements. FAAN said confirmed closure and reopening dates would be announced after further talks with stakeholders.

The Owerri project follows similar maintenance and upgrade work at other Nigerian airports. In April 2025, FAAN temporarily closed Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu after finding significant damage to a critical section of its runway. In June 2025, the agency announced a phased renovation of Terminal One at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Unlike the runway repairs in Enugu and the planned work in Owerri, the Lagos project was designed to modernise ageing terminal infrastructure while limiting disruption to passengers.

The Owerri intervention is expected to improve the airport’s ability to handle larger aircraft as passenger and flight traffic to southeastern Nigeria continues to rise.