The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced a potential shutdown of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, Oyo State, for six months, starting from March, to enable it carryout a maintenance upgrade.
Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, made this known in a post on the agency’s official X account.
According to Achimugu, the proposed closure is intended to facilitate essential upgrades to the airport’s infrastructure, aimed at enhancing operational safety and efficiency.
“Subject to new information, Ibadan airport may be shut down for six months for maintenance/upgrade, starting from early March,” the tweet read.
The planned six-month closure follows a proposal by the Oyo State Government in August 2024 to expand and upgrade the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan,
The state government had proposed a plan to expand and upgrade the airport with the aim to transform it into an international facility, as part of a vision to enhance the state’s aviation infrastructure and position Ibadan as a key aviation hub.
On August 12, 2024, a delegation from the Oyo State Committee on the Airport Expansion Project, led by Mr. Bimbo Adekambi and Mr. Kabir Mohammed, a former Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), met with Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN.
Their discussions focused on Governor Seyi Makinde’s proposal to expand and upgrade the airport to international standards, enhancing both domestic and international travel.
