Quote from Golden on May 5, 2026, 8:50 am

 

In the night of Sunday 03 May 2026, history was made when the state-of-the-art Gateway International Airport in the Iperu-Ilishan axis of Ogun state had its first international flight. Operated by Max Air, the flight departed the airport enroute Saudi Arabia with 345 muslim pilgrims (151 males and 194 females) accompanied by officials of the Ogun State Muslim pilgrims welfare board. Via a statement on Monday 04 May 2026, Káyọ̀dé Akínmádé, special adviser on media and strategy to the state governor, confirmed that the aircraft landed safely at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. According to him, “The development signals the facility’s readiness to accommodate wide-body operations, reinforcing its compliance with global aviation standards and its capacity for long-haul international travel.” BACKSTORY On 07 October 2025, Ogun State Dàpọ̀ Abíọ́dún inaugurated the first commercial flight at the Gateway International Airport. The governor said the project began in 2021 and was part of his administration’s plan to provide a well-modelled transport system for the state.