By Onwa Ekor
Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has called for an urgent and strategic partnership with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to upgrade facilities and improve flight efficiency ahead of the 6th African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) Investment Conference.
Otu made the call during a courtesy visit by the FAAN Governing Board, led by Chairman and former Kano governor, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, recently.
Scheduled for November 12–14, 2026, the AfSNET conference is expected to draw participants from across Africa and the Caribbean, with Cross River hosting an estimated 2,000 guests, including visitors from 19 African countries and the President.
“The growing profile of Cross River as a tourism, investment and diplomatic destination requires corresponding improvements in our aviation infrastructure.
“We cannot afford a situation where our facilities do not correspond with the number and quality of visitors coming into the state,” Otu said.
He informed that preparations for the conference and other upcoming events made it imperative to immediately scale up operations at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport.
The governor specifically requested the activation and upgrading of the airport’s VIP International Lounge to meet international standards for dignitaries and foreign delegates.
“For us, the airport is the gateway to Cross River. It is the first point of contact for many of our visitors, therefore, it must reflect the standard, beauty and hospitality for which Cross River is known,” he said.
Otu also stressed the need to strengthen security at the airport through closer collaboration between FAAN, the Nigerian Air Force and other agencies, citing the need for a “comprehensive security architecture” to protect passengers and critical infrastructure.
He urged FAAN to resolve challenges affecting ongoing airport projects, warning that delays could jeopardize preparations.
“This will not be the end. We are going to build a sustainable relationship,” Otu declared, adding that “we want to work with FAAN in a way that ensures Cross River’s aviation infrastructure continues to improve long after AfSNET.”
He said the state was ready to support FAAN in areas of infrastructure, passenger services, technology and operational efficiency to drive tourism, trade and investment.
Earlier, Ganduje assured the governor of FAAN’s readiness to collaborate.
Following a facility tour, he described Cross River as “one of the most beautiful and cleanest destinations in Africa.”
“If the state is attracting tourists, investors and international visitors, then the airport facilities must also be improved to support that development,” Ganduje said.
