The airports granted the extension are Yola International Airport, Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri, General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport in Ilorin, and Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State.
The announcement was made at the 2025 Aviation Stakeholder Forum in Abuja by NAMA’s Director General, Engr. Ahmed Farouk, who was represented by the Director of Air Traffic Services, Mr. John Tayo. Farouk said the extension responds to stakeholders’ requests for increased operational flexibility across regional airports.
“We are always available to grant extensions because of our capacity. For now, we will not be able to operate all airports in the country until 10 o’clock, but following the directive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, we granted approval to Yola, Enugu, Owerri, and Ilorin airports to operate till 10 pm,” Farouk said. He added that the airports were selected based on their equipment readiness and operational capabilities.
In addition, an ad-hoc approval was granted to AirPeace airline to operate flights to and from Anambra and Asaba states.
Farouk also highlighted some of NAMA’s recent achievements, including the introduction of free route airspace to reduce flying costs, ease workload on air traffic controllers, lower carbon emissions, and enhance operational efficiency. The agency has also deployed a fully functional flight calibration unit to calibrate navigational aids and validate instrument approach procedures.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, noted that President Bola Tinubu has approved special funding for the provision of NAMA equipment, moving the agency’s equipment procurement from standard budgetary allocations to dedicated funds. “This means that the provision of NAMA equipment is being moved from budgetary provisions into special funds,” Keyamo said.
The approval for extended operations and the enhanced funding for equipment are expected to improve air traffic management, increase operational flexibility at regional airports, and support the broader development of Nigeria’s aviation sector.