Anambra Government Makes U-Turn After Backlash, Denies Plans for Second Airport

The Anambra State Government has backtracked on reports that it was preparing to construct a second airport in Ndikelionwu, Orumba North Local Government Area. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, described the report as “false and at best speculative,” urging the public to disregard it.

The volte face came after aides to Governor Charles Soludo had earlier circulated news of the project on social media, attracting both excitement and backlash from residents who questioned the necessity of a second airport while pressing concerns in infrastructure remain unresolved.

In the official statement, government authorities explained that the confusion may have stemmed from a recent site visit to the Anambra Mixed-use Industrial City (AMIC). The visit, they said, was part of broader technical studies on transport systems—such as railways and airports—that could potentially service the new industrial hub in the future.

According to the statement, no final decision has been made on whether an airport or railway will be developed to support the AMIC project, which covers 4,000 hectares and includes plans for a pharmaceutical hub, innovation centers, housing clusters, and tourism facilities. Officials stressed that any such decision would be formally announced through official channels when taken.

The government’s sudden denial contrasts sharply with earlier remarks by committee officials and community leaders in Ndikelionwu, who had publicly welcomed the supposed project, pledging support and cooperation.