Ogun State Government has said Gateway International Airport has the most advanced technology.
It said the airport, located at Ilishan/Iperu axis, would stand the test of time with the modern facilities and state-of-the-art aviation technology.
The Managing Director of the airport, Captain Dapo Olumide, said this when he conducted reporters, who were on a three-day training tour of Ogun State, round the airport.
He said as an international airport, it was imperative that it be provided with the latest trends in the aviation industry.
Olumide said: “Everything about electronics in this airport is state-of-the-art. This airport has the most advanced technology, not because we are swimming in money, but because technology brings your costs down. If you have the right technology, it saves money in the long run.
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“For example, at the Control Tower, you can see on the radar as far away as and beyond Accra, way beyond Yaoundé and Douala, even though the control is in Lagos; the feasibility is here.”
He noted that the physical construction of the airport had been completed, while the installation of the landing system, ramp lighting and a 2-megawatt gas power plant, among other things, were ongoing.
The managing director said the airport would be manned by officials of the Nigerian Customs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Police and other relevant agencies, to enable it operate international flights.
Giving a brief history of the airport, Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, said it was conceived to take advantage of its proximity to Lagos and to support the continued industrialisation of the state.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, said the airport was strategically located for easy access from all parts of the country, adding that it had been built to conform to global standards.
“We have done many things differently at the airport. It has the longest runway, four kilometres in length, making it a Class E airport that can accommodate either Boeing 777, 747, or the Airbus 330.
“The area where the aircraft are parked is the largest around, as it was built on 82,000 square metres of land and can accommodate about 20 aircraft when properly parked,” he added.
According to him, commercial flights are expected to begin when the necessary approvals have been granted.
He said everything used in the building of the airport was of the highest quality.