Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has announced that the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport in Ado-Ekiti is ready for full commercial operations.
Keyamo spoke on Tuesday while addressing journalists after inspecting the airport’s facilities alongside Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti state governor, and other top government officials.
According to the minister, the airport is 99.5 percent completed, and commercial operations will commence soon.
He said the runway meets international standards and features an apron spacious enough to accommodate multiple Boeing 737 small-body aircraft, making it comparable to airports in advanced countries.
“I landed here to show the world that it’s now safe for landing, which is why Aviation 001 had to land here, it’s a testament that I have confidence in the facilities here for public use,” Keyamo said.
“The commercial airlines will start coming in, anytime from now.”
Oyebanji expressed his gratitude to the minister, Afe Babalola, legal icon, and President Bola Tinubu for their unwavering support in bringing the project to fruition.
He said the airport’s completion is a fulfilment of the dreams of the state’s founding fathers and the people of Ekiti.
The governor highlighted the economic benefits of the airport, noting that it would create job opportunities in agriculture, commerce, and tourism, while also increasing the value of properties in the area due to the expected influx of traffic.
“It is a dual-purpose airport, it’s going to serve agro-allied products as well as commercial passengers,” he said.
On December 12, 2024, the Ekiti cargo airport received the approval of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to commence non-scheduled flight operations effective December 15.
