Tinubu okays Ibadan airport upgrade, work begins in three weeks 

Construction of a new terminal, runway expansion and other structural features of Ibadan airport will begin in three weeks time, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said on Wednesday.

This is coming after President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the proposed upgrade of the airport,

The governor said his administration’s efforts to have the Ibadan Airport, Alakia, upgraded to an international airport had yielded positive results.

Governor Makinde made this known when he received the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Baba Abubakar, at the Executive Chamber, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The project, according to the governor, would include the construction of a new terminal, runway and other structural features, adding that it would be handled by experts and delivered to standard.

According to the governor, his administration had spent the last five years turning around the state’s economy and had identified the need for the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport as being central to its economic expansion agenda.

He added that his government’s resolve to build infrastructure that targets the economic expansion agenda has also seen it investing resources on the 110 kilometres of Ibadan Circular Road, stating that the administration would consider the Air Force’s request for land for its post-retirement housing scheme on the Circular Road corridor.

“We have been talking to the Presidency and we got a response from them early this week that the President has graciously approved my request for Ibadan Airport to be upgraded,” he said.

“I will be in Abuja soon to get the documents relating to the approval. And within three weeks, we will start the project. We will expand the runway and build a new terminal.

“Since I came into office, this administration has focused on education, agriculture, health and expansion of our economy.”

The governor, who appreciated the Chief of Staff for his officers’ effort in working with sister security agencies to secure Oyo State, urged that the cordial relationship between the Force and the people of the state be maintained.

According to the governor, the Air Force has been a major contributor to the maintenance of internal security in Oyo State, as its personnel have been working closely with Operation Burst.

He said the administration was committed to working with the Air Force to deliver the Air Force Base in Ajia, Ibadan, with a promise of speedy completion of the road leading to the base.

He also explained that the government was fixing several roads along the Air Force Base axis that would facilitate easy movement of personnel and equipment.

Earlier in his speech, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar, described the governor as a visionary leader, thanking him for his support to the Air Force.

He acknowledged the governor’s focus on economic development and enhancing security in the state, noting that the acquisition of 60 hectares of land for the Air Force Base at Ajia and the provision of security operational vehicles were commendable efforts of the governor.

FAAN begins sale of e-tags at airports 

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Friday commenced the sale of electronic tags (e-tags) at airports.
The initiative, it said in a statement, was in line with the presidential directive that mandating the use of e-tags for accessing the nation’s federal airports.
“Following the presidential directive that all citizens are mandated to pay for e-tags at all the 24 federal airports across the country, we wish to inform the general public that the e-tags are available for sale from Friday, 17th May, 2024 at the following locations,” FAAN said.
“Lagos: Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, Terminal 1, 5th Floor) Office of HOD Commercial. Contact: 08033713796 or 08023546030.
“Abuja: Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, HOD Commercial Office (General Aviation Terminal) Contact: 08034633527 or  08137561615.”
FAAN however said there would be an option to pay in cash at the access gates for motorists without e-tags.
On May 14, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced that everyone, including the President and Vice President, would pay tolls at the airports.
Keyamo said the government was losing over 82 per cent of the revenue it should have earned from the access fee.

Updated: We’ll resume Lagos-Dubai flights on October 1, says Emirates

Emirates Airlines on Thursday announced that its flight operations to Nigeria would resume on October 1, 2024.

It said this in a statement, “The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER. EK783 will depart Dubai at 0945hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1520hrs. The return flight EK784 will leave Lagos at 1730hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0510hrs the next day.

“Tickets can be booked now on Emirates.com or via travel agents.”

It quoted Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, as saying the Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular in Nigeria.

“We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard,” Kazim said.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Wednesday said the Emirates Airlines had given a definite date to resume flight operations to Nigeria and would make the announcement in a matter of days.

Emirates Airlines suspended flight operations to Nigeria in October 2022 over its inability to repatriate its $85 million revenue trapped in Nigeria.