NCAA denies shutting down Ibadan airport

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has dismissed a report that it has shut down the Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

A media report misconstrued a social media post by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, which states that subject to new information, the Ibadan airport may be shut down for six months for maintenance and upgrade, starting from early March.

In a new post, Achimugu lamented that his post was taken to mean the NCAA had shut down the airport.

He said, “I don’t understand how any journalist would take this post and caption it, ‘NCAA shuts down Ibadan Airport.’ My post never said so.”

Meanwhile, The Guardian has learnt that the proposed shutdown of the airport is connected to a plan by the Oyo State Government to upgrade the facility.

According to the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the airport is expected to undergo a second transformation phase, following the commencement of runway and infrastructure in 2023.

During the groundbreaking ceremony held on September 18, 2024, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, stated that the first phase of the upgrade included runway improvements, airport lighting upgrades, and fire service enhancements.

He also revealed that the second phase will witness the construction of the new international terminal and other related infrastructure.