December 12, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport (EAICA) in Ado-Ekiti has secured approval from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to commence non-scheduled flight operations starting December 15, 2024.
The NCAA, in a letter dated December 11, 2024, and addressed to Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, said the approval of the non-scheduled operations under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at the airport is for a period of six months, from December 15, 2024, to June 15, 2025.
The letter, which was signed by NCAA Acting Director General Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, was in response to the state government’s application for flight operational permit for the airport.
According to the NCAA, the approval for a six-month non-scheduled operation at the airport is to enable the NCAA validate the implementation of the pending findings and to allow the Ekiti State Government time to rectify a few outstanding corrective action items indicated in the agency’s last inspection report.
As part of compliance steps towards the commencement of the non-scheduled flight operations at the airport, operations are to be in agreement with relevant agencies for provision of essential services.
The Government of Ekiti State welcomes the NCAA’s approval for the non-scheduled flight operation, which allows private jets and other chartered flights to land and take off from the airport between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm.
Most new airports are usually given non-scheduled flight approval to allow them to clear audit gaps in their compliance before final approval for commercial flight operations.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji described the NCAA’s approval as a welcome development and a justification for the state’s investment in the airport project, which was designed to boost Ekiti State’s socioeconomic development by making the state more readily accessible.
“This is a welcome development and a justification for the state’s investment in the airport project, which was designed to boost Ekiti State’s socioeconomic development by making the state more readily accessible,” Governor Oyebanji said.
Governor Oyebanji had earlier in the year assured stakeholders that the Ekiti airport would become operational before the end of the year.
