The Ogun State Government has stated that the Gateway International Airport in the state has been equipped to compete with any airport of its type and category worldwide, making it one of the best-equipped in Nigeria.

According to a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the airport has convincingly met all necessary standards, as the state government has installed state-of-the-art lighting systems ahead of the official inauguration of scheduled local and international flights.

Akinmade said that part of the systems installed includes a Category I (CAT I) approach lighting system, which guides pilots during inclement weather conditions on final approach to landing; runway elevated end lights that inform the pilots of their proximity to the end of the runway; and displaced threshold lights that provide visual guidance to the displaced threshold of a runway, indicating the point before which the runway is not structurally designed for landing.

Also installed at the airport are runway edge lights that provide lateral visual cues for pilots during takeoff and landing, and Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI), which is a row of colored lights that, when properly aligned, visually provide glide path information to pilots during approach, helping them maintain the correct rate of descent to the runway touchdown point.

The statement further explained that, being a Category 9 fire cover airport, aircraft of all sizes can land at the airport at any time of the day or night.

Additionally, several top-notch VIP lounges and other aesthetic infrastructure have been installed to provide high-quality rest areas with specifically designed spaces for business travellers to continue their work and hold meetings while waiting for their flight.

Previously, the Ogun State Government had listed the airport’s features to include a 3.4-kilometre runway, making it a Class E airport that can accommodate large aircraft such as the Boeing 777, 747, and Airbus A380. The apron where the aircraft park covers an area of 82,000 square meters, accommodating large cargo aircraft.