The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has granted approval for the resumption of scheduled commercial flight operations at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan.
The approval was conveyed in a letter dated December 16, 2025, addressed to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). In the letter, the NCAA confirmed the issuance of a provisional interim operational permit, allowing scheduled flights to resume at the airport.
This development follows significant efforts by the Oyo State Government to upgrade the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Alakia, into an international airport. The state government has implemented several key projects, including the extension and widening of the runway, enhancement of airfield lighting, construction of a 500,000-litre aviation fuel storage facility, and the addition of a new Protocol Lounge, among other improvements.
According to the NCAA, the approval was granted after a thorough review of updated safety-critical facilities, operational arrangements, and mitigation measures, based on recent developments at the aerodrome and additional documentation submitted by FAAN. The authority also noted that approval for non-scheduled operations had been granted earlier.
The NCAA emphasized that the provisional interim operational permit is subject to strict compliance with outlined conditions, including the full operational readiness of emergency response systems.
