There are strong indications that one of Nigeria’s top airlines, Medview Airlines will soon commence flight operations in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, as part of its domestic route expansion.
This will bring to three the number of airlines operating flights to and from Ilorin.
Details of the proposed arrangement emerged at a meeting between Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Chief Executive Officer of Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Speaking at the meeting, also attended by the Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold and Chief of Staff, Alhaji Wahab Yusuf, Governor Ahmed commended the management of Medview Airlines for its interest in including Ilorin in its expansion plans. He said the route is strategic due to the state’s unique location as a gateway to the north and south, emerging economic hub of the North Central as well as the growing population of the State.
Alhaji Ahmed said the development will boost Ilorin’s standing as an alternative aviation and investment destination, given the existence in the State of an international aviation college, the training wing of the Nigerian Navy, a modern aviation cargo terminal, and the Nigeria Airforce.
Governor Ahmed said as a prelude to the new route, the State government is also in talks with Nigerian aviation authorities to make the Ilorin Aviation Cargo Terminal the cargo hub for the 2017 Hajj operations. The proposed hub will service pilgrims from the five neighboring states of Osun, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Kogi in partnership with Medview Airlines.
In his remarks, Alhaji Bankole said the new Lagos-Ilorin-Kano-Abuja route, when operational, will take advantage of increased passenger traffic in the axis, as well provide passengers from the five neighboring states an opportunity to benefit from improved access to Medview flight links including Lagos, Abuja, Yola, Kano, Kaduna and Maiduguri.
While expressing a desire to also partner with the Kwara State government on the utilization of the modern Ilorin aviation cargo terminal, Alhaji Bankole assured that both forthcoming operations will be operated with the same efficiency and quality service that Medview Airlines has become renowned for within and outside the country.