The Gateway International Airport in Iperu, Ogun State, has recorded its first international flight, airlifting Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj exercise.
The flight, operated by Max Air, departed Iperu on Sunday night with 345 pilgrims — 151 males and 194 females — along with officials of the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.
Speaking on the milestone in a statement on Monday, Kayode Akinmade, special adviser on media and strategy to the governor, said the aircraft landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
He noted that the development marks the start of Hajj operations in the state and positions Ogun as an emerging player in regional and international air transport.
“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,” Akinmade said.
Before departure, Governor Dapo Abiodun described the inaugural flight as a defining moment in the state’s development.
“What we celebrate today goes far beyond the arrival and departure of an international aircraft; it is a testament to focus, determination, resilience, commitment, sacrifice and teamwork,” the governor said.
Abiodun said the successful operation reflects Ogun’s growing infrastructure capacity and its ambition to become a hub for commerce, investment, and global connectivity.
He commended the federal government and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for designating the airport as a Hajj departure centre.
Ismail Yusuf, NAHCON chairman, represented by Olanrewaju Elegushi, said the new departure point would ease logistics for pilgrims in the South-West by removing the need to travel long distances to other airports.
He added that the airport is the first state-owned facility in the region approved for Hajj operations without restrictions.
Shamsideen Apelogun, leader of the 2026 Hajj, urged pilgrims to conduct themselves responsibly, stressing that they represent both Ogun and Nigeria.
On October 7, 2025, Abiodun inaugurated the first commercial flight at the Gateway International Airport. He said the project, which began in 2021, was part of his administration’s plan to provide a well-modelled transport system for the state.
