FAAN MD/CE Attends First ACI WGB Meeting As Regional Adviser For Africa
The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku has attended her first meeting as the Regional Adviser for Africa at the recently concluded Airports Council International (ACI) World Governing Board meeting in Milan, Italy, on March 27, 2025. Mrs. Kuku was nominated for the position at the ACI Africa Conference held in Johannesburg in September 2024.
Mrs. Candice McGraw, Chair of the ACI World Governing Board, formally welcomed FAAN’s MD/CE to the WGB and highlighted the growing importance of Africa in global aviation and acknowledged Nigeria’s leadership in driving regional progress.
A statement from Mrs. Obiageli Orah, FAAN’s Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection says the meeting was also attended by Mr. Ali Tounsi, Secretary General of ACI Africa; Mr. Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World; and other board members representing various regions worldwide.
This is a crucial milestone for Mrs. Kuku and FAAN, as it signposts FAAN’s growing role in shaping global aviation policies and enhancing the representation of African airports on the international stage.
The ACI World Governing Board comprises 28 CEOs from regional board members, ensuring that the collective interests of ACI’s global membership are represented. The board defines strategic directions for the airport industry, focusing on capacity building and fostering sustainable growth across the global airport community.
Mrs. Kuku’s participation in the ACI World Governing Board meeting marked a significant milestone in enhancing Nigeria’s influence in global aviation. Her presence underscored Africa’s commitment to sustainable aviation growth, strategic partnerships, and improved airport operations. The discussions and initiatives presented at the meeting will play a crucial role in shaping the future of African aviation, fostering long-term progress and excellence in the industry.
The meeting covered crucial topics related to the future of the global aviation sector, including an assessment of the industry’s sustainability objectives and strategies for reducing carbon emissions, Updates on the ACA initiative aimed at enhancing airport sustainability, Strengthening Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework and initiatives within airport operations and evaluating different airport management models to optimize airport concessions and management.
A key area of focus during the discussions was the advancement of Africa’s aviation industry. Several initiatives were presented to support the growth and development of airports across the continent by the Secretary General, ACI Africa. They include toolkit designed to assist African airports in achieving international certification standards on African Airport Certification Assistance Programme; ACI Africa’s African Airport Development Programme, a flagship initiative that aims to empower African airports in management, operations, and capacity building by promoting knowledge-sharing and expertise exchange across the continent; Training and Capacity Development components like providing classroom and online courses for aviation professionals, developing specialized courses tailored to African airports’ needs, offering financial support, including scholarships, for training programmes.
He also spoke on Technical and Operational Assistance like supporting airports in achieving or maintaining certification status, assisting in drafting essential regulatory documents such as aerodrome manuals, emergency plans, and safety management systems and conducting on-site assessments in areas such as safety, security, and operations.
The meeting emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships between African airports, ACI Africa, and ICAO to advance the continent’s aviation sector in the areas of establishment of a collaborative framework to enhance airport certification efforts, defined performance metrics for evaluating African airport development and increased support for African airports in achieving operational excellence and regulatory compliance.
