The runway at Benin Airport in Edo State is now open for flights again. This comes 12 days after an Enugu Air plane went off the runway shortly after landing, which caused a halt in services at the airport.
ValueJet announced the reopening on Tuesday. They said flights to and from Benin will start again on Wednesday, 5 August.
“We’re pleased to announce that the Benin runway has reopened, and ValueJet flights resume from Wednesday, 5th August 2026,” the airline said in a notice to passengers.
An official from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the reopening in a phone call with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday evening. The official asked to remain unnamed because they were not allowed to talk to the media.
The runway was closed after the incident on 23 July. This was to allow for the recovery of the aircraft involved and to conduct safety checks.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that an Enugu Air Embraer E170 was operating Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin when it went off the runway after landing. There were 63 passengers and five crew members on board. Thankfully, everyone got off safely with no injuries or fatalities.
At first, Enugu Air called the incident a runway incursion. But later, it was confirmed that the plane had left the runway after landing, which is known in aviation as a runway excursion.
A runway excursion happens when a plane unintentionally goes off the runway during take-off or landing.
After the incident, the aircraft was secured, and the necessary aviation authorities were informed.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) sent its Go Team to Benin Airport to start an independent investigation into what happened.
The bureau stated that investigators will collect evidence, look at the aircraft, check the runway conditions, talk to the flight crew and other relevant people, and review operational and technical records to find out what led to the incident.
Alex Badeh Jr., the Director-General of the NSIB, emphasized that the lack of injuries does not lessen the seriousness of what happened.
He urged the public not to speculate while the investigation is ongoing, following international aviation standards.
Tolu Ita, the Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager of Enugu Air, later explained that the aircraft went off the runway after hydroplaning during landing.
She said this incident was neither a crash nor an emergency landing, but it was a serious aviation occurrence. Hydroplaning happens when water creates a layer between a plane’s tyres and the runway, which can reduce traction and affect braking and steering.
However, Ms Ita’s explanation alone does not determine the cause of the incident, which is still under investigation.
After the event, FAAN closed the runway to help with emergency response, aircraft recovery, and safety checks.
This closure affected scheduled flights at the airport. Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines were among the airlines that stopped their services to and from Benin.
PREMIUM TIMES noted that both airlines mentioned the runway closure when announcing cancellations and changes to their flight schedules.
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