Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has visited the ongoing work on a new terminal building at Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan. This inspection is part of the state's effort to turn the airport into an international airport.
While on site, Makinde noted that the new terminal is important for the airport's upgrade. The new building will help the airport handle more passengers and improve its international services.
Makinde shared this update in a post on X on Thursday. He said the work is almost finished and the terminal will soon be inaugurated.
"Earlier today, we inspected the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan terminal being constructed by our administration as part of our plan to upgrade the airport to an international airport," he wrote.
He added, "The contractor is working towards completion and commissioning of the terminal by the end of this year."
The new terminal is expected to accommodate at least one million passengers each year, according to details shared when the project started. The project is being handled by Craneburg Construction Limited.
This is part of a larger plan to upgrade the Ibadan airport from a mainly domestic airport to an international gateway. This upgrade will allow the airport to handle larger airplanes and support more passenger and cargo traffic.
Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, also known as Ibadan Airport, started as a colonial-era airstrip. It was officially opened in 1982 and has gone through several upgrades to become an important domestic hub in southwestern Nigeria.
The airport was officially commissioned in June 1982 by Senate President Joseph Wayas during President Shehu Shagari’s time. It was originally named Ibadan Airport but was renamed Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in June 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
The name change honored the late Premier of the Western Region. The airport was closed for several months in 2025 for major upgrades and repairs. These works included expanding the runway and improving safety features.
It reopened for scheduled flights in December 2025 after getting the necessary regulatory approvals.
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