The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has granted approval for the Kogi State Government’s proposal to construct an international airport in Zariagi.
Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, announced that the approval was detailed in a letter from the Federal Ministry of Aviation, dated October 9, 2024.
Fanwo stated that Governor Usman Ododo’s administration is dedicated to completing the project efficiently while meeting all regulatory standards.
The new airport is expected to serve Kogi and 10 neighboring states, alleviating traffic on the Lokoja-Abuja road and helping to reduce congestion at Abuja’s International Airport.
“The Ododo Administration has considered it a top priority for Kogi State to have an International Airport and join the league of the aviation hub.
The strategic location of the state is no doubt, an invaluable advantage in harnessing the aviation service market as the centre of the nation.
“The project will not only boost the economy of the State, it will also create jobs and bring the potential of the state to the global scene.
“The Governor is determined to hire the best hands in the industry to make the project a huge success. As you are aware, aviation is an industry of trust and standards.
“We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the Aviation Minister for the historic approval that will help to further develop Kogi State. We want to also say that the Airport will also have capacity for Cargo as that is one of our key focuses in the project,” the commissioner stated.
Fanwo assured the people of Kogi State that Governor Ododo’s administration will continue to implement impactful projects aimed at building on the progress made over the past eight years.
Zariagi is a strategically important community that already features an airstrip. According to Fanwo, the team from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development expressed satisfaction with both the location and the Kogi State Government’s plans for the airport project.