Plans to temporarily close Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport have been pushed back to March 8, 2017 according to a report by Reuters. As previously reported, the Nigerian capital city airport is due to close for six weeks for necessary runway resurfacing works with all flights to be diverted to Kaduna, located 188 kilometres away. The original closure was scheduled to begin in February 2017.

No reason was given for the delay, which was announced by the Minister of State Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, ahead of a stakeholder meeting regarding the closures.

Some stakeholders have voiced their concern that the closure will be detrimental to Nigeria's already declining economy.