Ekiti Airport receives NCAA approval for non-scheduled flights

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has granted the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport (EAICA) approval to commence non-scheduled flight operations starting December 15, 2024.

The six-month approval, valid until June 15, 2025, was disclosed in a statement by Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s spokesperson, Yinka Oyebode.

NCAA, in a letter dated December 11, 2024, and addressed to Oyebanji, stated that the approval for the non-scheduled operations under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at the airport is for a period of six months—from December 15, 2024, to June 15, 2025.

The letter, signed by NCAA Acting Director General Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, was in response to the state government’s application for a flight operational permit for the airport.

According to NCAA, the approval for the six-month non-scheduled operation at the airport is to enable the NCAA to validate the implementation of pending findings and to allow the Ekiti State Government time to rectify a few outstanding corrective action items indicated in the agency’s last inspection report.

As part of compliance steps towards the commencement of non-scheduled flight operations at the airport, operations must be in agreement with relevant agencies for the provision of essential services, including air traffic services, aircraft rescue and firefighting services, aviation security, and meteorological services.

It will be recalled that the state government had earlier signed MoUs and service level agreements with these federal aviation agencies.

“The Government of Ekiti State welcomes NCAA’s approval for non-scheduled flight operations, which allows private jets and other chartered flights to land and take off from the airport between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm (or sunrise to sunset), preparatory to the final approval for commercial flight operations,” Oyebode said.

“Most new airports are usually given non-scheduled flight approval to allow them to clear audit gaps in their compliance before final approval for flight operational permits.”

Oyebanji described the NCAA’s approval as a welcome development and a justification for the state’s investment in the airport project, which was designed to boost Ekiti State’s socioeconomic development by making the state more readily accessible.

The governor had earlier in the year assured stakeholders that the Ekiti airport would become operational before the end of the year.