Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council approved implementation of an airport biosecurity and disease-response system under a 20-year public-private partnership, placing financing responsibility with a private partner as the government expands checks on cross-border health threats.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate said after the council’s Oct. 28 meeting that the full business case was approved for ₦45.08 billion. PUNCH and BusinessDay reported that figure from his remarks. TheCable reported ₦45.8 billion, while Channels Television gave a figure of $45.8 million.
The project targets five airports, with sites at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and Port Harcourt International Airport.
The system would sample aircraft wastewater, air and surfaces, and screen cargo and baggage. Pate also described portable diagnostic laboratories and a National Surveillance Operations Centre to integrate incoming data and coordinate responses.
Under the arrangement Pate described, the private partner would finance the project, oversee its design and construction, install the equipment and maintain it in operation. The federal government would provide policy, institutional and regulatory oversight. Pate said the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission had reviewed and endorsed the terms. When the 20-year arrangement ends, the government would regain control and ownership of the assets.
PUNCH reported that Pate cited annual airport border crossings of upwards of 18 million passengers. He said passenger traffic, biosecurity risk and geographic spread informed the choice of the five airports, the outlet reported.
Pate said preparation had taken two years, PUNCH and Channels Television reported. PUNCH also reported that he cited cross-border public-health vulnerabilities since COVID-19 and said outbreaks can disrupt economic activity.
