Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to upgrade facilities and improve operations at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar ahead of the 6th African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) Investment Conference in November.
Otu made the call in Calabar on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, when the FAAN Governing Board, led by its chairman and former Kano State governor, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, paid him a courtesy visit. The Cross River State Ministry of Information reported the meeting on September 9, 2026.
The conference is scheduled for November 12 to 14, 2026, with Cross River expecting visitors from about 19 African countries and total guests linked to the conference and other forthcoming engagements to reach approximately 2,000, according to Otu.
“We are expecting people from about 19 African countries, and we are looking at almost 2,000 people coming into Cross River State,” the governor said.
Otu said the expected increase in passenger traffic required FAAN and the state government to prepare the airport ahead of the event. He specifically called for the activation and upgrade of the airport’s VIP International Lounge to meet the needs of international visitors and senior dignitaries.
“We need the VIP International Lounge to be activated and upgraded. We must have facilities that can meet international standards,” Otu said, according to the Cross River State government’s September 9 report.
The governor described the airport as a key gateway to Cross River and linked its improvement to the state’s tourism and investment ambitions.
He also called for stronger security coordination involving FAAN, the Nigerian Air Force and other relevant agencies, saying preparations for the expected influx of visitors should begin immediately.
Otu further urged FAAN and other stakeholders to resolve challenges affecting airport-related projects and ensure they are completed within the required timeframe.
Ganduje, according to the state government’s report, assured the governor of FAAN’s readiness to collaborate with Cross River on improving airport operations and passenger experience.
Cross River’s hosting of the 2026 AfSNET Investment Conference was announced earlier. On September 7, 2025, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) announced that it had signed a hosting agreement with Cross River State for the 2026 conference in Calabar.
The event is expected to bring together sub-national government leaders, investors and other stakeholders for discussions around investment, partnerships and development.
