The Federal Government has formally asked the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to review the three-letter code assigned to Osubi Airport in Delta State, arguing that the existing code does not accurately reflect the airport’s official name or geographical location.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made the request in a letter to IATA’s Area Manager for West and Central Africa, Samuel Fatokun.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, Osubi Airport is located in Osubi town, near Warri, Delta State, and operates under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) location indicator, DNSU.
However, the airport has for years been commonly referred to as “Warri Airport” because of its proximity to and service of the Warri metropolitan area.
The Federal Government now wants the airport’s formal identity to more clearly reflect its actual location in Osubi.
Keyamo said the continued use of the IATA code QRW, which is associated with the broader Warri identity, “does not adequately reflect the airport’s actual name and physical location.”
He explained that airport codes play an important role in the aviation industry, appearing on flight tickets, baggage tags, boarding passes, reservation systems and other international travel platforms.
The Minister therefore urged IATA to commence a formal review of QRW and consider assigning a new code that has a clearer connection with Osubi.
Among the alternatives proposed by the Federal Government are OSU, OSB, SUB and QSB. However, the government acknowledged that the final decision rests with IATA and would depend on the organisation’s coding procedures and the availability of the proposed codes.
Keyamo said changing the code would strengthen the airport’s identity and reduce possible confusion among passengers and other aviation stakeholders.
Beyond the IATA request, the Minister has directed airlines operating to and from the airport to ensure that passenger-facing documents clearly identify the facility as Osubi, Delta State.
He also directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and other relevant agencies to ensure that the correct designation is consistently reflected in their systems, records, publications and operational interfaces.
Emphasising the government’s position, Keyamo stated: “Osubi is not Warri and Warri is not Osubi.”
