December 17, (THEWILL) — The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of the Akwa Ibom State Government ahead of the commencement of international flights at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, scheduled for April 2026.
Keyamo made this known on Wednesday, during an inspection tour and a meeting with members of the international airport ecosystem at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, alongside the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno.
Noting that the state was ahead of schedule, Keyamo said the gaps initially identified had been significantly narrowed following engagements with key aviation and security agencies.
According to him, representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Quarantine Services, Nigeria Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other aviation agencies were present at a closed-door meeting.
“From all we have heard, Akwa Ibom State is ahead of the plan scheduled. We thought the gaps to be closed would be much, but they are virtually very small gaps. Akwa Ibom State has gone ahead of schedule to a full-blown international airport”, Keyamo said.
The minister noted that facilities inspected included a newly completed and well-equipped international terminal and a standard Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, among others. He explained that the MRO is one of the critical requirements for international airport operations, as it enables international airlines to conduct routine checks before departing.
“This facility we are seeing here is the MRO. It means all international airlines coming here have a place to conduct routine checks before they fly out again. It is one of the standard requirements of any international airport”, he said.
In his remarks, Governor Umo Eno thanked the minister for his sincerity, passion and commitment to ensuring that aviation infrastructure is effectively utilised for the economic benefit of the country.
The governor also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu’s administration for approving the upgrade of the Victor Attah International Airport to international status and for releasing statutory funds to the state to support its development.
Eno further acknowledged the contributions of past leaders in the state, noting that their visionary leadership laid the foundation for the sustained development of critical infrastructure in Akwa Ibom State.
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