The Anambra State Government has announced plans to construct another airport in Ndikelionwu, Orumba North Local Government Area, less than four years after the inauguration of the Chinua Achebe International Cargo Airport in Umueri.
The project was disclosed on Friday, September 12, by Mr. Martins Nwafor, Managing Director of Chinua Achebe Cargo International Airport, during an inspection visit to the proposed site.
Nwafor, who also chairs the new Airport and Aerotropolis Committee set up by the state, explained that the initiative is part of the administration’s wider vision to transform Anambra into a smart megacity.
The Chinua Achebe International Airport project was launched in April 2017 and completed in three years. It was officially commissioned on October 30, 2021, by former Governor Willie Obiano.
While that project provided Anambra with its first functional international cargo airport, the government believes that adding another facility will expand opportunities and accelerate development.
According to Nwafor, the proposed Ndikelionwu airport will be more than just an aviation hub. It will anchor a larger aerotropolis project designed to attract investors, industries, and logistics operators.
“The project will also attract investments by combining the aviation infrastructure with surrounding commercial, residential, and logistics facilities to create a dynamic airport-driven city,” he said.
He stressed that multiple airports in the state would boost industrialization and fast-track Anambra’s development goals. The inspection visit, he noted, aimed to identify a flyable and sustainable location suitable for both an airport and an industrial park.
Community leaders in Ndikelionwu expressed gratitude to the government for considering their area.
Fabian Nwosu, a former President-General of the Ndikelionwu Welfare Association, and the group’s Vice President, Ifesinachi Onwurah, praised the initiative.
They said the project would create massive employment opportunities and pledged their community’s full support to ensure its success.
Several government officials and technical experts joined the inspection visit. They included Prof. Charles Ofoegbu, Managing Director of the Anambra State Solid Minerals Development Company Limited; Retired Air Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi, Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Security; and architect Mr. Chukwudi Ezenwa, founder of Sliding Towers.
Geologists and geophysicists from the Solid Minerals Development Company also participated, mapping out the location for feasibility studies.
Nwafor described the new airport and aerotropolis project as a “game changer” that would unlock untapped economic opportunities in Anambra.
If executed, it will position the state as a regional hub for commerce, logistics, and aviation, while also contributing to Nigeria’s broader economic growth.
For many residents, the project represents not just improved infrastructure, but also a promise of jobs, investment, and long-term development.