Ebonyi State’s Chuba Okadigbo International Airport runway is now fully resurfaced and is expected to last over 100 years. Commissioner of Aviation and Transport Technology, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Obichukwu, confirmed the 3.1 km runway’s completion and longevity in a recent announcement.
She spoke on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit Expo 2024 at the NIGAV Centre MMIA, Lagos. According to Dr. Obichukwu, the state is awaiting approval from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to commence commercial flights soon.
Moreover, the Ebonyi State government invested N17.3bn in the runway’s remedial work at Chuba Okadigbo International Airport. This is after the state, in September 2023 approved NGN13.75 billion for runway rehabilitation with contract awarded to Infrastructure Development Company for a duration of eight months. READ ALSO: FG to Repay Ebonyi Government Cost
The Commissioner said, “Last year, when the airport was completed, the runway’s slippery nature caused issues with flights. Consequently, the governor intervened to upgrade the runway to meet the required standards. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and NCAA guided the upgrade.
“On July 30th, the runway was completed to international standards, with concrete base and asphalt finish. The Chuba Okadigbo International Airport runway, marked and ready, can now support three Boeing 747s landing simultaneously.
“Flight operations are expected to commence as soon as the NCAA team concludes inspections and grants the necessary approvals.” She said.
