The Oyo State government has reiterated Governor Seyi Makinde’s promise that the Hajj flight to Saudi Arabia in 2026 will be from Ladoke Akintola International Airport, Ibadan, while it says that local flights will resume operations by the end of 2025.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, it was said that activities were in top gear to upgrade the airport to international standard.
It will be recalled that the airport upgrade, which was officially flagged off on September 18, 2024, was shut down in March 2025 to intensify work on the project.
The Commissioner said that the ongoing upgrade at the airport include the extension of the runway from 2,400 metres to 3,000 metres, and widening of the runway from 45 to 60 metres to accommodate wide body aircraft for international flights.
He stated that the airfield lighting system had been updated to CAT C standards, and the fire-fighting response upgraded to ensure a robust safety profile.
Prince Oyelade hinted that facilities were being put in place for Customs, Immigration and other vital agencies to meet international standard.
The Commissioner said that the runway upgrade, apron, taxiway, blast pads, among others, which currently stands at 55 percent, would be completed before the end of the year.
He added that local flights should resume thereafter, subject to approval of the relevant regulatory authorities.
Prince Oyelade said the international terminal construction, which is currently 15 percent completed, would be ready by June 2026 for such flights.
Prince Oyelade stated further that these upgrades reflect the government’s vision of transforming the Ibadan Airport into a modern and internationally-competitive facility.
“By enhancing our infrastructure to accommodate larger aircraft, we are not only improving domestic connectivity but also paving the way for global travel,” he said.
