Benue’s Leap Into the Skies: Why Governor Alia’s Airport Vision Is the Right Move

Benue’s Leap Into the Skies: Why Governor Alia’s Airport Vision Is the Right Move

By Dr Aondoaseer Leo-Angelo Viashima

Introduction: From Food Basket to Export Powerhouse

For decades, Benue State has proudly worn the title of “The Food Basket of the Nation.” Its fertile soil and hardworking farmers produce yams, rice, soybeans, cassava, fruits, and livestock in abundance. Yet, the irony has remained painful: despite producing more food than many states combined, Benue’s farmers suffer heavy post-harvest losses, poor market access, and diminished profits.

At the heart of this paradox is infrastructure. Roads have done their part, but in a 21st-century economy where speed, safety, and global reach determine value, the absence of an airport of international repute has left Benue stranded on the margins of opportunity.

Governor Hyacinth Alia’s decision to commission the construction of a modern international airport, therefore, is not vanity — it is vision. It is a statement that Benue is ready to match its agricultural strength with the logistics and connectivity required to compete globally.

 *The Missing Link in Benue’s Agricultural Value Chain* 

Agriculture is the lifeblood of Benue’s economy, employing more than 70% of its population. Every harvest season, warehouses fill up with yams, heaps of soybeans and cassava, and truckloads of citrus fruits. Yet, without efficient logistics, a shocking portion of this produce rots before it ever reaches buyers.

Post-harvest losses in Benue are estimated in billions of naira annually.

Farmers who could command higher prices abroad often settle for meagre sums locally because the road journey to seaports is too long, too costly, and too unreliable.

Perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, and fish never make it to export markets at all.

An international-standard airport with cargo facilities is the missing artery to pump life into this value chain. With cold storage, direct air links, and customs clearance, Benue’s farmers can sell fresh, high-value produce directly to Lagos, Accra, London, or Dubai — within hours, not weeks.

Beyond Cargo: Tourism, Diaspora, and Security

Critics who dismiss the airport as an “oversized ambition” overlook its multi-dimensional benefits:

1. Tourism & Diaspora: Benue is rich in culture — from traditional festivals to scenic landscapes along the River Benue. An airport makes the state more accessible to tourists and the Benue diaspora scattered across the world.

2. Health & Emergency Response: An international airport allows faster medical evacuations, delivery of emergency supplies, and humanitarian response in times of crisis.

3. Security & Governance: Central Nigeria has unique security challenges. Quick deployment of personnel and equipment by air strengthens state and federal response capacity.

 *Why Critics Are Wrong — and Why This Time Is Different* 

Skeptics argue: “Haven’t we heard this story before?” Yes, past administrations floated airport projects that never took off. The difference lies in Governor Alia’s structured approach:

1. The airport is tied to an export/import processing zone, ensuring it generates real trade, not just passenger traffic.

2. The project is being sited strategically along the Gboko–Vandeikya corridor, close to major production belts.

3. The plan incorporates phased development, starting with a cargo terminal that can quickly generate revenue.

Most importantly, transparency and private sector involvement are central to the model. This avoids the mistakes of opaque, politically-driven “white elephants.”

 *The Economic Payoff:* Numbers That Matter

The potential return on this project is staggering if executed right:

1. Billions saved from reduced post-harvest losses.

2. Thousands of new jobs across farming, packaging, logistics, hospitality, and aviation.

3. Foreign exchange earnings as Benue joins Nigeria’s export hubs.

4. Investment attraction: An airport signals to local and foreign investors that Benue is open for serious business.

When critics label the project “expensive,” they ignore the bigger picture: the cost of not building this airport is far higher.

A Bold Step Toward Benue’s Transformation

Governor Alia’s airport project is not about concrete and runways; it is about dignity for farmers, prosperity for youth, and positioning Benue as a central player in regional and international trade.

It is a bold leap into the skies — one that silences doubts, defies past failures, and declares: Benue is ready to rise.

By Dr Aondoaseer Leo-Angelo Viashima

Director General, Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development