The governor of Zamfara state, Dauda Lawal on Sunday, March 22, received the first flight at Gusau International Airport, a milestone for Zamfara state, which has not had an operational airport since its creation over 30 years ago.
A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said the test flight, operated by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), landed at the airport at exactly 4:30 p.m.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 605, conducted a one-off assessment to determine the airport’s readiness for VIP movements scheduled for next week.
Governor Lawal said, “Today will remain a historic day in the history of Zamfara State, as I witnessed the landing of the maiden flight at Gusau International Airport.
“The aircraft, with registration 5N-FGZ, performed a one-off test to assess the airport’s capability for VIP movements scheduled for next week.”
According to the statement, the flight was conducted in compliance with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) Part 12.1.4.1(c).
“Before the test flight, the state government requested permission from the NCAA, and the authority granted a one-off ‘No Technical Objection’ (NTO) for the aircraft to land in Gusau,” it said.
The statement added that the operation was conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which were strictly observed from sunrise to sunset.
It concluded by highlighting the significance of the flight for the state: “The historic test flight has significantly boosted governor Lawal’s administration’s reputation, especially since Zamfara has lacked an airport since its creation over 30 years ago.”
In April 2025, governor Lawal announced that the state’s airport was nearing completion and expected to become operational within four months.
Lawal emphasised the importance of the airport in improving the state’s accessibility.
The governor pointed out the difficulties investors face when attempting to reach Zamfara, noting that the long and often perilous journey from Abuja, which can take up to seven hours by road frequently deters potential investors from visiting the state.
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