By Kayode Oyesiku PhD
I want to thank Ogun State Government for completing the dream of Ogun State people to have their own airport. This is a commendable effort on the part of the Ogun State Government for two basic reasons.
Firstly, it is commendable for making Ogun State more accessible not only to various parts of Nigeria but also to the world. Secondly, I am particularly delighted that in my lifetime as an Urban and Regional
Planner, a transport researcher, as a scholar and as a regional development academic, the commissioned Gateway International Airport became a reality as proposed and planned as part of Ogun State Regional
Masterplan, 2005 – 2025. It is rear in the Nigerian environment for political office holders to build on what a previous administration must have proposed or initiated. Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration made this an aberration.
However, what the Governor did not do in bringing this important project to light is
equally to commend and appreciate those who initiated the project as Ogun State Cargo Airport, which is equally to serve as passengers travel Airport simultaneously. Particularly a word of appreciation to OGD
administration that put in place the Ogun State Regional Masterplan and initiated Ogun State regional airport and completed the site and location and got approval for the development of the airport and other
essential supporting services.
It is important to draw our attention to the fact that the airport is a derivative of the Ogun State Regional Masterplan 2005 -2025, the preparation of which I was part of. I was a member of the team and contributed significantly to the land use and transportation infrastructure sections of the Masterplan. The Masterplan itself is a comprehensive and integrated Regional Development Plan for Ogun State, a multi-disciplinary team of consultants under the Comprehensive Project Management Services Limited, CPMS, anchored by
its Managing Director, Engr. Bayo Adeola was done with professionalism, personal discipline and passion, having amongst other globally known Urban and Regional Planners like Tpl. Alhaji Waheed Kadiri PPNITP (Past President of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners), Tpl. Kayode Soile, Late Prof. A. I. Adalemo and
my humble self, who handled the land use and transportation infrastructure aspects of the Masterplan.
The Ogun State Regional Development Plan 2005 – 2025 has a vision for its people to be healthy, well educated, gainfully employed, and able to live happy and fulfilling lives. We should live in cities, towns and villages that are well planned with adequate infrastructures. And that communication among the cities, towns and villages in the State, and with the rest of the country and the outside world should be modern, adequate and convenient, supported by its economy to be buoyant and sustainable.
The Regional Plan covered the broad areas of Land and Natural Resources, Management, Physical Infrastructure, Social Infrastructure, Economic, Infrastructure and Human Resources Development. The
Plan has a framework derived from and aligned with global, regional and national development plans., particularly the global platform of the Millennium Development Goals, and developed socio-economic and
physical development plans to address the high level of underdevelopment that pervaded most parts of the State, and the haphazard and uncoordinated location of the modest efforts at development.
The scope of work for the Conceptual Regional Master Plan covered 2005 to 2025, from which the Regional Airport is extracted, including: Determination of Existing Population and Projection to 2025; Preparation of Existing and Projected Land Use Plan; Preparation of Existing and Projected Physical Infrastructures Plan; Preparation of Existing and Projected Economic Infrastructures Plan; Preparation of Existing and Projected Social Infrastructures Plan; and Preparation of Existing and Projected Physical Infrastructures Plan, while the scope of work for the full regional plan covered: Population; Land Use & Human Settlement
Development (sub-Regional Population Estimate & Projections; Sub-Regional Land Use Plan; SubRegional Transportation Plan; Sub-Regional Water Supply and Sanitation Systems; Sub-Regional Power Supply System; Sub-Regional Communication System; Sub-Regional Economic System; Sub-Regional Social Infrastructures; New Towns Development Program; Development of the first Gateway City); Physical Infrastructures; Transportation Plan including – Regional Airport, Regional Seaport, State Railway System, Container Terminals and Trailer Parks; Regional Water Resources Development Plan; Power
Generation & Distribution Plan; Information and Communication Plan; Environmental Management Plan; Social Infrastructures; Economic Infrastructures; and Integrated Human Development.
One significant aspect of the State Regional Plan is Transportation Plan that included development of the Regional Airport for agricultural cargo and passenger travels. Air travel is generally most effective at
moving people over long (about 1,000 kilometres) to very long distances in a very short time. The main advantage is the speed of travel which allows one to get to almost anywhere on the globe within twentyfour hours. Air transport is particularly suited to mass movement of people from Lagos metropolis, especially to and from the North and the East where the travel distance makes it cost and time effective.
The only limitation to its being fully embraced by the public is the cost, as road transport is significantly cheaper and earning power is very low. Extension of air travel to relatively remote areas with high economic activities might become necessary in the plan period. Economic activities planned for sub-region’s five (5)
areas include export processing zone, LNG plant, deep seaport and similar facilities.
This would require connectivity to Lagos and Port Harcourt for international travels and locating a helipad or an air strip in this
area would be necessary. Air travel from Ogun State is considered in the Regional Plan in two parts, passenger and cargo transport. We need not wait until Lagos airport is no longer able to cope with the traffic volume, or access to the airport becomes very difficult because of increased traffic. Rationally, an alternative international airport to serve the Lagos area will be necessary. The response to traffic congestion, poor road access and security issues might be an air connection from a local air strip to Lagos airport initially. Ultimately, a second airport would be required, and the location would likely be in Ogun State.
Although shipping is still the most efficient way of moving international cargo, air cargo has continued to be more relevant in the recent past. Goods in which air cargo has advantages over shipping include: urgent
goods and equipment such as spare parts and drugs, irrespective of weight; perishable goods that cannot be stored for long duration such as drugs, chemicals, flowers, fruits and vegetables; light weight, high value goods such as jewellery; and commercial mails which is an industry. The volume of traffic that the Lagos airport can handle is very large, and virtually all sizes of airplanes can land there. As at today, the cargo capacity is still not fully utilised, as with the rest of the airport.
The challenge of international cargo movement today is therefore that of delivering imported goods to their local destinations from Lagos airport and getting goods for export to Lagos airport from the different origins nationally. For most of the goods carried by air, courier companies have emerged all over the world to provide this service, and for most users, goods are delivered point to point with the courier companies taking responsibilities from point of origin to point of destination. The multi-modal travels necessary to get the goods from the origins to the destinations including management of the necessary customs are managed by the courier companies.
For a functional Ogun State Agro-Cargo aspect of the Airport, three strategic options were preferred in the Plan: the first is centred on the production and export of cut flowers, vegetables and fruits, all perishable goods that must be exported by air. With the large agricultural land available in the State, the establishment of such plantation and the production of exportable goods would create the industrial base for such an airport, and this would make it attractive. The planes for this purpose only need to be cargo planes of the size of the Boeing 737. The second is the use of the airport for mails and courier services. This is a growing business sector in Lagos with some of the biggest international players there.
An airport where they can have their own facilities should prove an advantage to them. The third is the general aviation services. Much of Nigerian oil is now offshore, and communication with the platforms is by helicopter and light planes.
Providing facilities for these should be an advantage. Catering to these facilities requires that not only the airport is provided but also enabling environment and facilities. For the cultivation of flower, vegetables nd fruits, the farmlands and farmers must be there along with the processing plants, quality assurance and
control, and packaging facilities.
A whole industry built around these products need to be created. For the handling of mails and courier services, contact must be made with those in the business to determine their needs for such services and prepare layout of the facilities to meet their standard and approval. The same process would be required for the services to be provided to the oil prospecting and oil service companies.
The airport therefore becomes the hub around which the economy and development of the sub-region is
based. It has, indeed, the potential to transform a predominantly rural and sleeping area to the hub of international activities. The passenger aspect of the proposed airport in the Regional Development Plan is obviously a good venture prior to the Agric-cargo aspect and the State Government deserves commendation while acknowledging those who had the dream and laid the foundation of the airport, including the location.
There is a great future for the airport as captured in the 2005-2025 Ogun State Regional Plan if supporting services and more industrial development around the interchange and the settlements are vigorously pursued. More importantly, as the State is planning for rail development, extending the line to the airport
would be intermodal transportation success.
This is what most airports in the country do not consider. Ogun State can be the first after Abuja. Making the airport functional as the current government has done is a
significant breakthrough, but its sustainability of it is key to the development of the State.
‘Kayode Oyesiku PhD. FCILT, FNITP, FANG, FCIoTA, RTP. Professor Emeritus, – Urban Planning, Transportation & Logistics Systems Planning Consultant, Sustainable
Development Researcher.
