The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has unveiled an upgraded cargo handling terminal at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, part of a wider push to strengthen agricultural export infrastructure in Northern Nigeria. The facility, commissioned on 28 August 2026, includes expanded cold storage capacity, improved perishable-goods handling, and streamlined customs processing areas.
Kano has long served as a key export point for fresh produce, hides, and horticultural products from the North, but stakeholders have repeatedly flagged inadequate cargo infrastructure as a bottleneck limiting the volume and reliability of exports, particularly for perishable goods destined for European and Middle Eastern markets.
Boosting Agricultural Export Capacity
FAAN said the upgraded terminal roughly doubles the airport's cold-chain storage capacity and introduces dedicated lanes for time-sensitive perishable cargo, addressing a long-standing complaint from exporters that produce was frequently delayed or spoiled due to inadequate handling facilities.
"This upgrade directly responds to what exporters in the North have been telling us for years — that cargo infrastructure, not flight capacity, was the real constraint on growing agricultural exports through Kano," a FAAN official said at the commissioning event. The Authority added that the investment forms part of a broader plan to position select regional airports as specialised cargo gateways rather than relying solely on Lagos and Abuja for international freight.
Industry and Government Reaction
Northern agricultural exporters and freight forwarders welcomed the upgrade, with several noting that improved cold storage could open access to markets that had previously been difficult to serve reliably due to spoilage risk during ground handling delays. Kano State officials also linked the investment to broader efforts to diversify the regional economy beyond traditional trade routes.
FAAN indicated that further phases of the upgrade, including expanded apron space for dedicated freighter aircraft, are under consideration depending on cargo volume growth following the terminal's commissioning.
