Ibom Air is set to commence international flight operations in April 2026, with preparations at Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, nearing completion, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed.
Keyamo spoke on Wednesday after inspecting the airport facilities alongside Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, and meeting with agencies involved in international airport operations. The minister expressed satisfaction with the standard of facilities and the level of readiness achieved so far.
“Having heard from all the agencies involved in an International Airport ecosystem, they were all here with us, and we held a closed-door meeting. From Customs to Quarantine, the Nigeria Immigration Service, NDLEA, Police, DSS, NEMA, and all aviation agencies. From all we have heard, Akwa Ibom State is ahead of schedule. We thought the gaps to be closed would be much, but they are virtually very small gaps. Akwa Ibom State has gone ahead of schedule to a full-blown International Airport,” Keyamo said.
Facilities inspected include a newly constructed international terminal and a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility, described by the minister as a key requirement for international airport operations.
“This facility we are seeing here is the MRO, which means all international airlines coming here have a facility where they can conduct routine checks before they fly out again. It is one of the standard requirements of any International Airport,” he noted.
Governor Eno thanked Minister Keyamo for his dedication to ensuring that aviation infrastructure is optimally utilised to drive national economic growth. He also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for approving the airport’s upgrade to international status and for releasing statutory funds for its development.
Eno further acknowledged the contributions of past state leaders, noting that their groundwork laid the foundation for the current level of development at Victor Attah International Airport.
