Upgraded Ibadan airport receives first flight

The Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, on Wednesday, received its first aircraft since being closed down in March 2025 for an upgrade to international standards.

The aircraft, which is an advanced member of the presidential flight scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2025, arrived at the airport at exactly 9:14 am to the joy of everyone in the vicinity.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected in Ibadan on Friday for the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.

The successful landing has been said to show the readiness and capabilities of the airport’s infrastructure to handle high-profile flights safely and efficiently.

In a statement, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser (Media) to Oyo State Governor, said that with the presidential flight scheduled to follow soon, this inaugural flight since March 2025 sets a positive precedent for future arrivals and departures.

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Recall that Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, had, in September 2024, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the airport upgrade.

Makinde had said at the event that the project, when completed, would connect the state to the global market.

The governor had also noted that, “The upgrade of the airport is expected to enhance air travel operations and provide a reliable transportation network for both business and leisure travellers, positioning the state for economic growth and development.”

Earlier, the Makinde administration had upgraded the airport’s VIP lounge and provided a fire truck. It also installed a 500,000-litre aviation fuel storage and dispensing facility.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.