Keyamo asks IATA to scrub ‘QRW’ code from Osubi Airport

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has formally requested that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) retire the three-letter code “QRW” currently assigned to Osubi Airport in Delta State, arguing that it misrepresents the facility’s true identity.

In a letter to IATA’s West and Central Africa chief, Dr. Samuel Fatokun, Keyamo proposed that the global body consider a code more aligned with the airport’s official name and physical location. Among the alternatives put forward are OSU, OSB, SUB, and QSB, though he acknowledged that the final choice would depend on IATA’s coding rules and availability.

The airport, which carries the ICAO identifier DNSU, is situated in Osubi town, near Warri. While it is commonly referred to as “Warri Airport” due to its service to the wider metropolitan area, the Federal Government insists that its formal and geographical designation is Osubi.

Keyamo’s request is not merely symbolic. He has issued a parallel directive to all airlines operating in and out of the facility to ensure that tickets, baggage tags, and boarding passes consistently read “Osubi, Delta State.” The NCAA, FAAN, and NAMA have also been instructed to update their records, publications, and digital interfaces accordingly.

“Osubi is not Warri, and Warri is not Osubi,” the minister stated flatly, underscoring the government’s determination to eliminate what it sees as an unnecessary ambiguity.

Beyond eliminating confusion for passengers and baggage handlers, the move reflects a broader push by the ministry to ensure that Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure is accurately represented in both domestic operations and international databases.