Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has sought the collaboration of the Governing Board Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to ensure the speedy completion of the ongoing upgrade of the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar.

Otu made the appeal on Wednesday when Ganduje led members of the FAAN Governing Board and management on a courtesy visit to the governor in Calabar.

The FAAN delegation was in the state to inspect ongoing rehabilitation and upgrade works at the airport ahead of the sixth African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference (AfSNET), scheduled to hold in Calabar in November.

The governor emphasised the importance of completing the airport works on schedule, noting that the facility would play a critical role in receiving participants and visitors expected at the conference.

Otu also reiterated the need to improve the airport’s facilities and operational capacity, stressing that the intervention would not only support AfSNET 2026 but also enhance Cross River’s tourism, trade and investment potential.

Ganduje, however, assured the governor that the FAAN Governing Board had put measures in place to ensure that the ongoing work was completed within the stipulated timeframe.

“That is why we are here. We are ready to collaborate with you. We are inspecting facilities at the airport so as to ensure their quality,” Ganduje said.

He added: “We want to also assure you that ongoing work at the airport will be completed within the stipulated time.”

Ganduje was accompanied on the inspection by FAAN Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, alongside members of the authority’s governing board and management.

The ongoing intervention at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport includes runway rehabilitation, installation of a new 500KVA solar power system and terminal improvement, among other modern facility upgrades.

The projects are expected to improve the airport’s operational efficiency, infrastructure and passenger experience.

The inspection, according to FAAN, further reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and stronger partnerships with stakeholders.

The sixth AfSNET Investment Conference is an initiative of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), hosted by the Cross River State Government in partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

The three-day conference is expected to bring together African sub-sovereign governments, financial institutions, investors, businesses and development partners.

It will focus on mobilising investment, accelerating industrialisation, developing bankable infrastructure projects, strengthening regional value chains and promoting trade-driven economic growth across Africa.