Direct international flights would commence at Ibadan Airport, before the end of 2026, the Chairman of the 11-man Committee on the upgrade of Airport, Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi, has said.Adekanmbi said on Saturday that although some airlines had begun offering Ibadan–London flight options, such services were not direct international operations from the airport.According to him, the current arrangements involve stopovers in Abuja before proceeding to the United Kingdom
“Those are not the direct flights we promised. They take off from Ibadan, transit through Abuja and then continue to the UK.“It is a good start, but we plan to have direct international flights once the new terminal is completed,” he said.
Adekanmbi disclosed that the international terminal to handle direct overseas flights was just between 40 per cent and 50 per cent completion
The project chairman added that construction work was still ongoing on the terminal, but expressed optimism that it would be ready for operation before the end of the year.He said that the airport had undergone major upgrades, including expansion and extension of the runway.
We have lengthened the runway from 2,400 metres to 3,000 metres and expanded it from 45 metres to 60 metres. The runway is now ready to receive big, wide-bodied aircraft.“We have also restored the runway lights, which means aircraft can land at night. In addition, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) has been installed to enable aircraft land safely even in poor weather conditions,” he said.Adekanmbi said local flight operations had fully resumed, with aircraft flying daily to Abuja and other parts of the country.According to him, the apron has also been expanded to accommodate larger aircraft and improve turnaround time.
“We have also restored the runway lights, which means aircraft can land at night. In addition, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) has been installed to enable aircraft land safely even in poor weather conditions,” he said.
Adekanmbi said local flight operations had fully resumed, with aircraft flying daily to Abuja and other parts of the country.
According to him, the apron has also been expanded to accommodate larger aircraft and improve turnaround time.
Also, new operational vehicles have been provided for aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the airport fire service and the airport police command,” he said.On sustainability, he said the project was backed by an outline business case to ensure long-term viability.According to him, measures such as improved turnaround time for aircraft, expanded apron space, and enhanced passenger processing systems are being introduced to make the airport attractive to airlines and travellers.
He expressed confidence that once fully operational, the upgraded airport would position Ibadan as a major aviation hub and further stimulate economic growth in the state.
