Gusau Airport Clears ICAO Safety Checks Ahead of October Commercial Flights
The Gusau International Airport (GIA) in Zamfara State has successfully completed the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) quality assurance and inspection process ahead of the commencement of scheduled commercial flights.
The airport is expected to commence commercial operations next month, with XEJet Limited scheduled to operate flights between Gusau and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, twice a week.
According to a statement issued by the Zamfara State Government on Tuesday, the flights are expected to operate every Monday and Friday from the first week of October.
A senior official of a Nigerian aviation agency said the airport’s instrument flight procedures had successfully gone through all 17 stages of ICAO’s quality assurance and approval process.
The official, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said the exercise formed part of Nigeria’s efforts to address corrective measures recommended following an ICAO safety audit.
ICAO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, is responsible for setting international standards for civil aviation and promoting the safe and orderly development of air transport.
Nigeria recorded an Effective Implementation score of 75 per cent following an ICAO audit conducted in 2023.
The official said the organisation subsequently carried out an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) in April 2026, during which a Significant Safety Concern (SSC) was identified.
He said Nigeria addressed the concern within the stipulated 40-day period, while additional medium-term corrective measures were required.
As part of the response, instrument flight procedures at a number of airports across the country were subjected to ICAO’s 17-stage quality assurance and approval process.
“Of all the airports assessed, only Gusau International Airport completed and passed all the 17 steps,” the official said.
He added that documentation confirming GIA’s successful completion of the process was submitted to ICAO as part of Nigeria’s compliance efforts.
The official further disclosed that Nigeria’s Effective Implementation score rose to 95.1 per cent following the ICVM.
The development comes after the Zamfara State Government signed an air route development partnership agreement with XEJet on September 21 for scheduled flights between Gusau and Abuja.
The partnership is expected to improve air connectivity to Zamfara and facilitate greater access for investors, businesses and visitors.
