Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has commissioned an aviation fuel depot at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport as part of efforts to improve operational efficiency and position the facility as a major aviation hub in Nigeria.
The fuel depot, established through a partnership between the state government and Reeve Energy Nigeria Limited, is expected to facilitate aircraft refuelling, reduce airlines’ operating costs and support the expansion of commercial flight services.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Monday, Oyebanji said his administration would continue to expand the airport’s operational capacity through strategic public-private partnerships.
The governor disclosed that work was at an advanced stage to upgrade the airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) and install Aerodrome Ground Lighting to enable round-the-clock flight operations.
He said the ground lighting project was expected to cost more than ₦10 billion, adding that its completion would allow aircraft to land at the airport at any time and make the facility more attractive to investors.
“By the time we finish what we are doing with the airport by the end of the year, by God’s grace, we should be able to complete the upgrade of the ILS that has been certified. What we are doing now is what they call in aviation the Aerodrome Ground Lighting, and that project is costing us more than ₦10 billion,” Oyebanji said.
He added that the government was also working towards establishing an Independent Power Project (IPP) to provide a reliable electricity supply and reduce the airport’s operating expenses.
“We are also working on getting an IPP for this airport. We cannot be wasting time on that, so once we have an IPP here, then the airport will be self-sufficient when it comes to electricity,” he said.
Oyebanji said his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure, strengthen security and pursue alternative energy solutions to make Ekiti more attractive to businesses.
He also urged communities across the state to welcome investors and provide a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, describing community cooperation as essential to the state’s industrialisation drive.
The governor said his administration’s second term would prioritise industrialisation, productivity and sustainable economic growth, building on infrastructure investments made over the previous four years.
According to him, the next phase of development would focus on attracting investments capable of increasing the state’s productive capacity and generating wealth.
He maintained that investors were primarily attracted by a supportive business environment, reliable infrastructure and the prospect of profitability rather than emotional considerations.
“Investors are not emotional people. Capital will flow to where it is well treated and where the right environment will also support profitability,” he said.
Oyebanji commended Reeve Energy Nigeria Limited for investing in Ekiti and assured the company and other investors of the state government’s continued support.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Reeve Energy Limited, Efuru Nwakuche, described the fuel depot as evidence of the role collaboration between government and the private sector could play in driving economic growth and infrastructure development.
Nwakuche thanked Oyebanji and relevant government agencies, including the Ekiti State Airport Management Company, for their support in bringing the project to fruition.
She said the facility would strengthen aviation energy services, support increasing flight activity and contribute to the state’s broader economic development.
The Reeve Energy chief executive reaffirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining high standards of safety, quality, reliability and operational excellence as it contributes to Nigeria’s aviation and energy sectors.
Also speaking, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, announced plans to increase the airline’s operations at the airport to daily flights and activate a dedicated cargo service.
Okonkwo praised Oyebanji for his leadership and support for investment, saying the absence of a local refuelling facility had previously created logistical challenges for the airline.
He explained that aircraft arriving in Ekiti had been unable to refuel locally, forcing the airline to operate under strict fuel and weight restrictions that limited passenger capacity.
With the commissioning of the depot, Okonkwo said the airline planned to transition to daily flights to and from Ekiti, providing more regular travel connections.
He also pledged to activate the airport’s cargo section by January 2027 to support agricultural exports and commercial logistics.
According to him, United Nigeria Airlines is positioning itself as the primary carrier for transporting commercial cargo from the airport, potentially improving access to markets for agricultural producers in Ekiti and neighbouring areas.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye; Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye; Secretary to the State Government, Professor Habitat Adubiaro; Chief of Staff, Oyeniyi Adebayo; Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi; former members of the state Executive Council; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, among other dignitaries.
