Sam Mbakwe Airport

{{For|the airport in the Central African Republic with the IATA code IMO|Zemio Airport}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox airport

| name = Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA)

| nativename = Imo Airport

| image =

| IATA = QOW

| ICAO = DNIM

| type = Public

| owner-oper = Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)

| city-served = Owerri, Nigeria, Aba, Nigeria, Umuahia, Nigeria

| location =

| elevation-f = 374

| elevation-m =

| coordinates = {{coord|5|25|35|N|7|12|20|E|region:NG_type:airport|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Nigeria

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_label = QOW

| pushpin_map_alt =

| pushpin_mapsize =

| pushpin_image =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in Nigeria

| website =

| metric-rwy = y

| r1-number = 17/35

| r1-length-m = 2700

| r1-length-f =

| r1-surface = Asphalt

| stat-year = 2015

| stat1-header = Passengers

| stat1-data = 313,343

| stat2-header = Passenger change 14–15

| stat2-data = {{decrease}}7.6%

| footnotes = WAD{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130217013457/http://www.worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=DNIM Airport information for DNIM]}} from DAFIF (effective October 2006) GCM{{GCM|QOW}} Google Maps[https://www.google.com/maps/@5.4296016,7.2065194,5308m/data=!3m1!1e3 Google Maps - Owerri]

}}

Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport {{airport codes|QOW|DNIM}}, also known as Imo State Airport, serves Owerri, the capital city of Imo State in southeastern Nigeria. It is located in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, Imo State.

The building of the airport commenced with the administration of the first civilian governor of the old Imo State (now, Imo, Abia and Southern Ebonyi states), Dee Sam Mbakwe, in 1983, from generous contributions of the indigenes and people of the state and throughout the Igbo land. While this is the first state-owned airport, it is the first community-driven airport project ever known, at least, in the West of Africa. The project also enjoyed immense support from successive Federal Military Governments especially under Navy Captain James N.J. Aneke, who saw to its completion, commissioning and operational commencement on 15 July 1994, under the late General Sani Abacha.

Other cities served by the airport are the commercial city of Onitsha, the automobile and manufacturing city of Nnewi in Anambra State, the industrial hub of Aba, Umuahia and Arochukwu in Abia State. Others are Okigwe, Oguta, and Orlu business districts in Imo State. The airport also serves some parts of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States in the South South (southernmost part) of Nigeria.

The airport is named after Sam Mbakwe, the first civilian governor of Imo State who started the project. As mentioned, it is the first state-government-built airport built from the support and contributions of indigenes of the state and the entire Igbo land.{{Cite web |title=Dailytrust News, Sports and Business, Politics {{!}} Dailytrust |url=https://dailytrust.com/ |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Daily Trust |language=en}} Navy Captain James N.J. Aneke, who was the military administrator of Imo State from 9 December 1993 to 22 August 1996, completed and commissioned the airport on 15 July 1994. It was later handed over to FAAN (Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria) to be managed by the federal government.