BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR, NOVEMBER 18, 2025 | 02:31 PM
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has assured investors that Maiduguri is safer than Lagos and Abuja, emphasizing the state’s readiness for business and investment.
The governor made the declaration on Monday at the 2025 Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Annual Aviation Conference in Lagos, themed ‘Elevating the Nigerian Aviation Industry through Investment, Partnership and Global Engagements.’
He highlighted Borno’s strategic location as a commercial gateway, bordering Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, with short flight hours to Europe and the Middle East.
‘Borno State is strategically positioned in the shores of the Lake Chad, close to the Sahel region and bordering three countries of Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republics.
‘Maiduguri the state capital is close to Europe; you can leave Maiduguri and reach Malaga, Spain in three and a half hours. From Maiduguri to Jidda, Saudi Arabia is three hours flight; within two hours you can reach Sudan and Algeria,' Gov. Zulum said.
He announced that Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri will soon be commissioned for international operations.
‘I am pleased to inform this gathering that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would soon commission the Maiduguri International Airport for international flights.
‘The potential of Maiduguri International Airport when commissioned need not be overemphasized. Therefore, I am inviting investors to come and invest in the state.
‘I want to inform investors that Maiduguri is safer than Lagos and Abuja. I mean it. You can move freely in the city without apprehension. We have a lot of opportunities,' he emphasized.
The governor also noted that the Maiduguri dry port will soon become operational and that the federal government has approved the operation of a Free Trade Zone.
He promised to create an enabling environment for business and announced plans to establish a mega industrial hub near the new international airport.
Gov. Zulum commended President Tinubu, the minister of aviation, the FAAN Managing Director, and other agencies for their achievements in advancing Nigeria’s aviation sector.