Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has renamed a number of airports in the country after prominent Nigerian personalities, including his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari.

The renaming was “part of reforms of the aviation sector”, local media quote a statement from the aviation ministry as saying.

The Maiduguri airport in north-eastern Nigeria has been renamed after the immediate former president in the unprecedented changes that affected a total of 15 airports. Some of them were renamed after deceased personalities to immortalise them.

Reflect changes

Administrators of the airports have been told to reflect the name changes in their memos and letters, according to the statement.

Naming of public institutions like universities, colleges, roads and stadiums after prominent personalities is common in the West African nation, but renaming 15 airports at once is unusual.

President Bola Tinubu, 71, was sworn in at the end of May after winning an election in February - succeeding Buhari who had served two four-year terms in Africa's most populous country.

Here is the full list of the renamed airports:

• Akure Airport – Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu

• Benin Airport – Oba Akenzua II

• Dutse Airport – Muhammad Nuhu Sanusi

• Ebonyi Airport – Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo

• Gombe Airport – Brigadier Zakari Maimalari

• Ibadan Airport – Samuel Ladoke Akintola

• Ilorin Airport – Gen. Tunde Idiagbon

• Kaduna Airport – Hassan Usman Katsina

• Maiduguri Airport – Gen. Mumammadu Buhari

• Makurdi Airport – Joseph Sarwuan Tarka

• Minna Airpor – Mallam Abubakar Imam

• Nassarawa Airport – Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio

• Osubi Airport – Alfred Diete Spiff

• 14. Port Harcourt Airport – Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo

• Yola Airport – Lamido Aliyu Mustapha