October 07, (THEWILL) — Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, inaugurated the first commercial flight at the Gateway International Airport, Ilishan-Remo.
The aircraft, owned by ValueJet with registration number 5N-BXS, departed the airport at 10:10 a.m. for Abuja with 90 passengers on board.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the airport along the Iperu–Ilisan Road in Ikenne Local Government Area, Abiodun said the project, which began in 2021, was part of his administration’s vision to establish a modern and integrated transport system in the state.
“I am glad to be here today to witness the inaugural flight of a commercial aircraft taking off from Ogun State. This is real—commercial operations are starting from Ogun State in the lifetime of an administration,” he said.
The governor recalled how critics had dismissed the project as political propaganda when it began. “Some said it was a photo op, some called it a dump site, while others claimed we were going to use it as a cattle ranch. But today, we are here, and this shows what vision, passion, and collective effort can achieve,” he said.
Abiodun noted that construction started in late 2021, and by February 2023, the first ValueJet aircraft had successfully landed during a test flight. He described the aviation sector as highly regulated, adding that making the airport operational was a major milestone.
He said his administration was determined to make the Gateway Airport the best-built and most functional in the country, noting that Ogun remains Nigeria’s industrial capital with one of the fastest-growing economies.
According to him, the facility forms part of the state’s “Aerotropolis” project, surrounded by emerging industries, including what he described as the world’s largest textile plant and the Nigeria Customs Village.
“This airport ticks the box of our multimodal transport master plan where we connect roads to rail and air, and soon, to the sea,” Abiodun added.
The governor appreciated regulators in the aviation sector, particularly the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, for their supervision and support.
In his remarks, Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide, said the project aligned with the vision of the state’s founding fathers and would boost the local economy.
“This place was once a refuse dump, but now it’s a world-class airport. It will bring comfort and end the stress of travelling to Lagos to catch flights,” he said.
Also speaking, the member representing Imeko-Afon/Yewa North Federal Constituency, Gboyega Isiaka, expressed delight that the project had become a reality and urged industrialists to leverage the new facility to expand their businesses.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Chris Ona-Najomo, commended the Ogun State Government for complying with aviation standards, assuring continued regulatory support, particularly ahead of future international flight operations.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Farouk Umar, and other aviation officials were also present at the event
Seun Shotunde, THEWILL
