Gateway Airport gets certified for commercial operations after aviation regulatory agencies visit Ogun. Gateway International

Agro-Cargo Airport, situated along the Ilisan-Iperu axis in Ogun State, was certified for commercial operations on Tuesday after a diverse group of aviation regulatory agencies toured the site and praised the facilities and level of completion.

All three of Nigeria’s aviation authorities—the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet)—sanctioned the airport as first-rate, a testament to Ogun State’s glory.

The airport’s crucial infrastructure, including the Control Tower, Weather Monitoring Areas, Runway, Fire Service Stations, and the Apron, can compete with the best in the West African corridor and the world, according to the agencies.

In his remarks during the visit, Ango Mohammed, representing the NCAA’s Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, remarked on how much the airport has improved since his last visit, bringing it up to par with towers at any other standard airport in the world.

Mohammed conveyed the joy of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for the project and stated that everyone should praise the Ogun State Government for the high-quality job they did at the airport.

The Managing Director of NAMA’s representative, Tayo John, also spoke during the event, explaining that they were visiting the airport to check the facilities there for compliance with safety and air traffic service regulations.

Construction firm Craneburg’s senior project manager, Nicolas Mfarrej, has stated that the airport is about 98% prepared to begin serving the state’s interests at full capacity.

Similarly, Engineer Oluwole Adeyileka, who is the consultant on regulatory matters to the governor of Ogun State, said that important figures in the oversight and control of airport infrastructure had gathered to gauge the state’s preparedness, and that it was remarkable that they had been impressed by the measures taken by the state.

Separately, Gateway International Airport Manager Captain Dapo Olumide and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Engineer Ade Akinsanya both stated that the current assessment is the final hurdle before the airport can open to the public.

Olumide went on to say that the assessment had proven that the state will lead the country in air traffic services, and Akinsanya described it as a positive outcome of the dream of an airport that can meet world standards.