Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has commended the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Board of Ibom Airport Development Company for successfully restoring night flight operations at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo.
The governor had earlier issued an ultimatum to his Senior Special Assistant/Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Uwem Ekanem, and the airport board to ensure the full restoration of the airfield lighting system before September 30, 2025.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, Governor Eno expressed satisfaction that the task was completed within the stipulated deadline.
“His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno, Ph.D, is pleased and congratulates the MD/CEO, Mr Uwem Ekanem, the staff, and the Board for rising to the occasion and getting the job done within the specified timeline,” the statement read.
“With the successful calibration and overhaul of the navigational aids and the restoration of the lighting systems at the Victor Attah International Airport, the sunrise-to-sunset restrictions previously imposed have been lifted. Night flight operations, therefore, at the airport, have been restored with immediate effect,” it added.
Governor Eno also lauded NAMA for its vital role in the project and assured that the government would continue to invest in aviation infrastructure, including the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility and the international terminal, to ensure they become operational before the Yuletide season.
The statement further emphasised the administration’s commitment to positioning Akwa Ibom as a leading tourism destination under the governor’s ARISE Agenda. It noted that the resumption of night flights would allow Ibom Air to operate seamlessly, supporting both tourism and business travel.
“Tourism remains a major plank of the ARISE Agenda, and with the planned commissioning of the ARISE Resorts — easily the best family-themed resort in the nation — billed for December this year, and other ongoing works within the tourism sector, the restoration of night flight operations will ensure unhindered flight operations by our flagship airline, Ibom Air, in and out of the state by tourists and other visitors. Akwa Ibom indeed is being primed as the tourism haven of our nation and a future with or without oil,” the statement added.
Earlier in July, the governor had approved the release of N1.194bn for the overhaul of critical airport facilities and set an eight-week deadline for the resumption of night flights, warning that failure to deliver would attract sanctions.
