Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (IATA: QOW, ICAO: DNIM), also known as Imo State Airport, serves Owerri, the capital city of Imo State in southeastern Nigeria. The 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 was first conceived by the late former governor, Chief Sam Mbakwe in 1982. Construction started in 1984 by the former military governor of Imo state Brig. General Ike Nwachuwu and was completed in 1996. It was later taken over by the federal government.