Sam Mbakwe Airport – QOW Owerri

Sam Mbakwe Airport serves the city of Owerri, Nigeria. It is a regional airport in Owerri, Imo, Nigeria. Its IATA code is QOW and operates in WAT time zone. The Sam Mbakwe Airport provides flight services to Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Enugu. 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 part of Nigeria. Right now, it serves as an alternate for Port Harcourt.

Best Time to Visit

QOW - Sam Mbakwe Airport is named in honor of a former governor and politician-philanthropist, the late Chief Sam Mbakwe of Imo State. It is the first state-government-built airport. It has 2 scheduled arrival routes within Nigeria and no international scheduled routes. It has one runway that only allows daytime landings, and can handle most commercial jumbo jets and long haul transport aircraft and regularly services large turboprop commuters; short and medium haul transport aircraft. The airport has night landing capabilities, but for most flights in non-international designated airports, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria restricts night operations except for passenger flights during pilgrimage. Owerri is the capital of Imo State and among the largest town in the state. Its other notable towns are Orlu, Oguta, Mbaise and Okigwe.

What to Do & Area Attractions

While nearby hotels are a bit far as tourists can see most of them at 10 miles average range, they are notable ones such as Protea Hotel Owerri Select, Toprate Luxury Hotel and Immaculate Royal International Hotel.

The nearest airport from Sam Mbakwe Airport is more than 26 miles away and that is Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC).