NABIRE, CENTRAL PAPUA – The Central Papua Provincial Government has allocated approximately IDR 80 billion to support the development of Douw Aturure Airport in Nabire. The funding is part of efforts to strengthen air connectivity while anticipating increasing mobility in the provincial capital.
Central Papua Deputy Governor Deinas Geley said the provincial government was committed to contributing to the airport’s development, although the total funding requirement is estimated at around IDR 500 billion.
“We are ready to allocate around IDR 80 billion, but of course we also need support from the Ministry of Transportation,” Deinas said when contacted from Nabire on Wednesday.
According to Deinas, the development needs for Douw Aturure Airport were conveyed to Deputy Minister of Transportation Suntana, along with several echelon I officials from the Ministry of Transportation, during a meeting in Jakarta on Monday (Sept. 14).
One of the priorities being pursued is the improvement of the airport’s airside facilities, including runway development so that the airport can accommodate aircraft with larger capacities.
In addition to the runway, the development plan also covers supporting facilities and the passenger terminal, allowing the airport’s service capacity to be increased in line with growing demand for air transportation in Central Papua.
Deinas said strengthening Douw Aturure Airport is strategically important for Central Papua. The airport serves not only as a means of transportation for residents but also plays an important role in supporting interregional connectivity and logistics distribution across the province.
“Vice President Gibran Rakabuming visited the development of Douw Aturure Airport in April 2026 and emphasized the importance of developing the airport to keep pace with the increasing demand for air transportation in Central Papua,” he said.
The Central Papua Provincial Government hopes support from the central government will complement the region’s financial capacity, allowing the development of Douw Aturure Airport to proceed more rapidly.
In addition to Nabire Airport, the provincial government is also pushing for improvements to several pioneer airports across Central Papua, including those in Puncak, Mimika, Deiyai, and Dogiyai regencies.
Improving pioneer airports is considered important because some areas of Central Papua remain highly dependent on air transportation for the movement of residents and the distribution of essential goods.
“We have already pushed for improvements to the existing airports because the pioneer airports in those areas have been operating for quite a long time,” Deinas said.
Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Class II Douw Aturure Airport Operations Unit (UPBU), Alrido Simanjuntak, said Douw Aturure Airport currently has a 2,500-meter-long and 30-meter-wide runway.
According to him, the runway would ideally be widened to 45 meters to support the operation of aircraft with larger capacities.
The development is expected not only to increase flight service capacity but also to strengthen Nabire’s role as a connectivity and economic activity hub in Central Papua.
