The Ogun State Government said that the Gateway International Airport has the most advanced technology.
It said that the airport, located at Ilishan/Iperu axis of the state, would stand the test of time with the modern facilities and state-of-the-art aviation technology.
The Managing Director of the Airport, Captain Dapo Olumide, stated this when he conducted a group of journalists who were on a 3-day training tour of Ogun State around the airport.
He emphasized that as an international airport, it is imperative that it be provided with the latest trends in the aviation industry.
He said: “Everything about electronics in this airport is state-of-the-art. This airport has the most advanced technology, not because we are swimming in money, but because technology brings your costs down. If you have the right technology, it saves money in the long run.
“For example, in the Control Tower, you can see on the radar as far away as and beyond Accra, way beyond Yaoundé and Douala, even though the control is in Lagos; the feasibility is here,” Captain Olumide explained.
He noted that the physical construction of the airport has been completed, while the installation of the landing system, ramp lighting, and a 2-megawatt gas power plant, among other things, is ongoing.
The MD stated that the airport would be manned by officials of the Nigerian Customs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Police, and other relevant agencies to enable it to operate international flights.
Giving a brief history of the airport, Commissioner for Transportation Engr. Gbenga Dairo said it was conceived to take advantage of its proximity to Lagos and to support the continued industrialization of the state.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya noted that the airport is strategically located for easy access from all parts of the country, adding that it has been built to conform to global standards.
“We have done many things differently at the airport. It has the longest runway, four kilometres in length, making it a Class E airport that can accommodate either Boeing 777, 747, or the Airbus 330.
“The area where the aircraft are parked is the largest around, as it was built on 82,000 square meters of land and can accommodate about 20 aircraft when properly parked,” he added.
According to him, commercial flights are expected to commence when all the necessary approvals have been granted, assuring that everything used in the construction of the airport is of the highest quality.