Gusau International Airport (GIA) in Zamfara State has successfully completed the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) rigorous quality assurance tests and inspections, clearing the final hurdles for the start of commercial flight operations next month.
The airport is preparing to launch scheduled commercial services between Gusau and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. According to a Zamfara State Government statement released on Tuesday, XEJet Limited will operate the route twice weekly—on Mondays and Fridays—beginning in the first week of October.
A senior official of a leading Nigerian aviation agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed that the airport’s instrument flight procedures had undergone ICAO’s full 17-step quality assurance and approval process. GIA completed and passed every stage.
The process forms part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to implement corrective measures recommended by ICAO, the United Nations specialised agency responsible for setting global standards for international air navigation and promoting the safe development of air transport.
Nigeria recorded an Effective Implementation (EI) score of 75 percent following an ICAO audit in 2023. A follow-up ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) in April 2026 identified a Significant Safety Concern (SSC). The concern was resolved within the required 40-day window, though Nigeria was still required to execute associated medium-term corrective action plans.
As part of those measures, instrument flight procedures at several Nigerian airports were subjected to the same demanding 17-step ICAO process. “Of all the airports assessed, only Gusau International Airport (GIA) completed and passed all the 17 steps,” the official said. “The evidence of GIA’s successful completion of this demanding process formed part of the documentation submitted to ICAO. Following the ICVM, Nigeria achieved an impressive EI score of 95.1%.”
On 21 September, the Zamfara State Government signed an air route development partnership agreement with XEJet to formalise the scheduled Gusau–Abuja service. Officials say the new route is expected to improve access to the state and create expanded opportunities for investors, businesses and visitors.