Governor Dauda Lawal on Sunday witnessed the maiden test flight at Gusau International Airport, marking a major milestone for Zamfara State, which has lacked an operational airport for over 30 years.
According to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the test flight—operated by the Federal Government of Nigeria—landed at about 4:30 p.m.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 605, carried out a one-off assessment to determine the airport’s readiness for VIP movements scheduled for next week.
The statement noted that the flight was conducted in line with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, following approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, which granted a “No Technical Objection” (NTO) for the operation.
It added that the flight operated under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), limited strictly to daylight hours.
Governor Lawal described the development as historic, noting that the project would significantly improve accessibility to the state and attract investment.
He highlighted the challenges faced by investors traveling from Abuja to Zamfara, a journey that can take up to seven hours by road, often discouraging economic opportunities.