Dapo Abiodun, Ogun state governor, inaugurated the first commercial flight at the Gateway International Airport in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun state.
According to a statement by the state government, the aircraft, operated by ValueJet with registration number 5N-BXS and 90 passengers on board, departed the airport at 10:10am for Abuja.
Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration in Ogun, Abiodun said the project, which began in 2021, was part of his administration’s plan to provide a well-modelled transport system for the state.
“I am glad to be here today to actually witness the inaugural flight of a commercial aircraft taking off from Ogun state; this is not like AI, this is real. Commercial operations are starting from Ogun state in the lifetime of an administration,” Abiodun said.
“We came here in 2021; some people said it was just a photo op, they said it was just politics, they mocked us, and they said this place is nothing but a dump site. Some even said that we were going to use this place as a cattle ranch.
“But today, we have shown what can be achieved when there is vision, inclusiveness, passion, and diligence. We began to construct in late 2021, and by February 2023, this same Valuejet was the first plane to land on this runway for a test flight.
“Building an airport is one thing; having an airport become operational is a totally different thing because it is a very highly regulated industry.”
The governor said his administration is determined to have the best-constructed, equipped, and befitting airport for the state.
He noted that Ogun, regarded as Nigeria’s industrial capital, also has a population that makes it one of the country’s fastest-growing economies.
‘Airport Project Backed By Strong Business Prospects’
Abiodun added that the airport project is backed by strong business prospects, noting that it is located within an aerotropolis where numerous companies are setting up operations, including the world’s largest textile plant and the Nigeria customs village.
“It speaks for itself; more people are coming to live, work, and play in Ogun State, so this airport makes sense; it ticks the box of our multimodal transport master plan where we connect roads to rail to air, and soon, we will be connected to the sea,” he added.
The governor commended aviation regulators, particularly the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, for providing quality supervision for the airport.
In his remarks, Oludaisi Elemide, speaker of the Ogun state house of assembly, said the airport aligns with the dreams of the state’s founding fathers and would open the state to the outside world.
“I give it to the governor. This place was a refuse dump, but now it is the site of a world-class airport. There will be economic gains, and there will be comfort, as it will reduce the hassle of going to Lagos to travel by air,” the speaker said.
Similarly, Gboyega Isiaka, a member of the house of representatives representing Imeko-Afon/Yewa north, commended the state government and urged industrialists to take advantage of the new facility to grow their businesses.
On his part, Chris Najomo, director-general (DG) of NCAA, also praised the state for adhering to all regulatory requirements and assured of continued support, particularly towards facilitating international operations in the near future.
Other aviation sector officials, including Farouk Umar, managing director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), were also present at the event.
On September 26, Ogun state announced that ValueJet Airlines will commence commercial flight operations at the airport from October 7.
