The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, initiated the construction of the Kogi International Airport in Zariagi on Tuesday. He stated that the development will draw investments and widen commercial prospects throughout the state.
Performing the groundbreaking ceremony alongside Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo, the minister credited the initiative to central economic policy changes and the state administration's focus on infrastructure. He explained that recent measures, including the discontinuation of petrol subsidies and foreign exchange adjustments, have elevated federal revenue transfers to state administrations, providing them with enhanced financial capacity to execute major public projects.
According to a media release issued on Tuesday by his special adviser on media and communications, Tunde Moshood, the project represents a fusion of federal financial strategies and local administrative vision. Pointing to the collaboration, the aviation minister remarked that positive federal policies combined with regional leadership made the groundbreaking possible.
He emphasized that higher financial allocations alone do not automatically translate to progress unless helmed by an administration prepared to direct funds toward public works. Characterizing the launch as a historic turning point for Zariagi, he projected that the facility would secure the community's place on the global aviation map for centuries to come.
Addressing skepticism regarding the viability of building an aviation hub in an area where large-scale commercial ventures are still growing, the minister rejected the idea of waiting for corporate investors to arrive first. He maintained that an airfield acts as the primary catalyst and precursor for subsequent industrial expansion and economic activity.
Governor Ododo stated that the transport facility is a calculated move designed to unlock the region's agricultural and mineral potential by connecting producers to broader markets. The territory holds substantial deposits of limestone, coal, iron ore, and marble, alongside notable farming yields including rice, cassava, maize, cashew, and palm oil.
The state leadership anticipates that improved logistics will streamline the transportation of commodities, generate local employment, and bolster both tourism and cargo-handling operations.