Dapo Abiodun’s multibillion-naira Cargo Airport road in Ogun submerged by flood
Flooding near Ogun’s Gateway Cargo Airport raises alarm over poor drainage, sparking public outrage and questions about long-term infrastructure planning
Flooding near Ogun’s Gateway Cargo Airport raises alarm over poor drainage, sparking public outrage and questions about long-term infrastructure planning
Flood exposes airport road flaws as torrential rain submerges the main route to Governor Dapo Abiodun’s much-celebrated Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.
The deluge, which struck on Friday, trapped motorists and severed access to the nearly completed multibillion-naira project, fuelling outrage across social and civic circles.
Footage shared by TheCityPulse showed helpless drivers wading through floodwaters that engulfed the newly built corridor linking the airport to the Sagamu–Benin expressway.
The scene was a stark contrast to the state’s glowing narrative about the airport’s world-class potential and has triggered widespread questions about poor drainage design and project oversight.
Promoted as a transformative aviation hub for sub-Saharan Africa, the Gateway Cargo Airport was hailed for features such as Nigeria’s longest runway, a control tower, fire service infrastructure, and an agro-processing zone.
With officials claiming the project is 97% complete, Friday’s flooding has shattered confidence in its resilience and readiness.
Local authorities had received earlier warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and state bodies predicting heavy rainfall and potential flooding in areas including Sagamu and Iperu.
Yet, no visible effort was made to fortify key access routes to the airport, leaving the new infrastructure defenceless against seasonal downpours.
“This is unacceptable for a project of this magnitude. Accessibility to such a critical facility should not be this vulnerable,” said a transport logistics analyst who described uninterrupted road access as vital for any functioning cargo airport, particularly during peak rainy seasons.
This is how a billion-naira dream gets washed away. Who builds an airport road without proper drainage?”
So far, neither the Ogun State Ministry of Works nor the Airport Development Authority has responded to public concern.
Repeated attempts to contact state officials yielded no reply, deepening frustration among residents and observers.
Online reactions have been scathing. Critics argue that the government focused too much on ceremonies and press releases while neglecting the practical demands of sustainable infrastructure.
One local resident, reacting to the viral video, said: “This is how a billion-naira dream gets washed away. Who builds an airport road without proper drainage?”
The incident feeds into a broader national debate about the disconnect between large-scale government projects and the realities of planning.
Many Nigerians have grown wary of symbolic infrastructure that fails under basic environmental stress. For a project positioned to handle substantial volumes of agro-exports, the consequences of poor accessibility could be devastating.
With Ogun State aiming to establish itself as a logistics powerhouse, the pressure is now on the government to act swiftly.
Industry stakeholders are calling for urgent engineering reviews, improved drainage systems, and a transparent reassessment of contracts tied to the airport’s construction.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.
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