The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved the commencement of non-scheduled flight operations at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport, effective December 15, 2024.
The Special Adviser to Governor Biodun Oyebanji on Media, Yinka Oyebode, stated on Thursday that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated December 11, 2024, and addressed to the governor.
He disclosed that the NCAA approved non-scheduled operations under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at the airport for six months, from December 15, 2024, to June 15, 2025.
The letter, signed by NCAA Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, was in response to the state government’s application for a flight operational permit for the airport.
According to the NCAA, the six-month non-scheduled operation approval will enable the agency to validate the implementation of pending findings and allow the Ekiti State Government to rectify outstanding corrective actions indicated in its last inspection report.
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The statement reads:
“As part of compliance steps towards the commencement of non-scheduled flight operations at the airport, operations are to align with relevant agencies for the provision of essential services, including Air Traffic Services, Aerodrome 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 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (sunrise to sunset), as part of preparations for final approval for commercial flight operations.
“Most new airports are usually granted non-scheduled flight approval to address audit gaps in compliance before receiving final flight operational permits.”
The statement further noted that Governor Biodun Oyebanji described the approval as a welcome development and a justification for the state’s investment in the airport project, which aims to boost Ekiti State’s socioeconomic development by improving accessibility.
Earlier this year, Oyebanji assured stakeholders that the Ekiti airport would become operational before the end of the year.
