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Sam Mbakwe Airport

Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA)

Imo Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorFederal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
ServesOwerri, Nigeria, Aba, Nigeria, Umuahia, Nigeria
Elevation AMSL374 ft / 114 m
Coordinates5°25′35″N 7°12′20″E / 5.42639°N 7.20556°E / 5.42639; 7.20556
Map
QOW is located in Nigeria
QOW
QOW
Location of the airport in Nigeria
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
17/35 2,700 8,858 Asphalt
Statistics (2015)
Passengers313,343
Passenger change 14–15Decrease7.6%
WAD[1] GCM[2] Google Maps[3]

Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (IATA: QOW, ICAO: DNIM), also known as Imo State Airport, serves Owerri, the capital city of Imo State in southeastern Nigeria. It is located in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, Imo State.

The building of the airport commenced with the administration of the first civilian governor of the old Imo State (now, Imo, Abia and Southern Ebonyi states), Dee Sam Mbakwe, in 1983, from generous contributions of the indigenes and people of the state and throughout the Igbo land. While this is the first state-owned airport, it is the first community-driven airport project ever known, at least, in the West of Africa. The project also enjoyed immense support from successive Federal Military Governments especially under Navy Captain James N.J. Aneke, who saw to its completion, commissioning and operational commencement on 15 July 1994, under the late General Sani Abacha.

Other cities served by the airport are the commercial city of Onitsha, the automobile and manufacturing city of Nnewi in Anambra State, the industrial hub of Aba, Umuahia and Arochukwu in Abia State. Others are Okigwe, Oguta, and Orlu business districts in Imo State. The airport also serves some parts of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States in the South South (southernmost part) of Nigeria.

The airport is named after Sam Mbakwe, the first civilian governor of Imo State who started the project. As mentioned, it is the first state-government-built airport built from the support and contributions of indigenes of the state and the entire Igbo land.[4] Navy Captain James N.J. Aneke, who was the military administrator of Imo State from 9 December 1993 to 22 August 1996, completed and commissioned the airport on 15 July 1994. It was later handed over to FAAN (Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria) to be managed by the federal government.

Facilities

The airport underwent upgrading in 2013-14 that covered its infrastructure and the communication equipment covering the airspace past Port Harcourt Airport as part of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) project.[5]

The airport has night landing capabilities, but for most flights in non-international designated airports, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria restricts night operations except for passenger flights during pilgrimage (Hajj).

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air Peace Abuja, Lagos
Arik Air Lagos
Azman Air Abuja
United Nigeria Airlines Abuja, Lagos
Green Africa AirwaysLagos

Statistics

These data show the number of passengers' movements into the airport, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria's Aviation Sector Summary Reports.

Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Passengers 66,093 345,078 457,544 200,097 276,926 476,063 384,016 265,082 267,532 338,943 313,343
Growth (%) Increase 11.05% Increase422.11% Increase 32.59% Decrease 56.27% Increase 38.40% Increase 71.91% Decrease 19.34% Decrease 30.97% Increase 0.92% Increase 26.69% Decrease 7.55%
Source: Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Aviation Sector Reports (2010-2013,[6] 2014,[7] Q3-Q4 of 2015,[8] and Q1-Q2 of 2016,[9])

See also

References