Ahead of the completion of ongoing repair work at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, the Federal Government says it has upgraded navigational facilities at the airport.

The airport was closed in August 2019 for repairs.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency said on Monday that as the build-up to the reopening of the airport in April, it had installed a new Category 2 Instrument Landing System and Distance Measuring Equipment to replace the old system which was installed in 2003.

The agency said a successful site acceptance test on the equipment had also been conducted by its engineers in Enugu in preparation for its calibration in the coming days.

The agency stated that in a bid to address communication blind spots in the Lagos South-East corridor, it had installed a Very Small Aperture Terminal for satellite communication at the airport.

“This satellite communication node has further been integrated into the national satellite communication network which is linked to the African Indian Ocean SATCOM Network,” the Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said.

“Also linked to VSAT is the newly installed Remote Control Air-Ground Very High Frequency radio communication system, ensuring that Enugu now has an extended VHF coverage on 127.3MHz frequency for Lagos South-East sector,” he added.

Akinkuotu said the radio communication along the Lagos South-East sector had improved tremendously.

According to him, the installation of the VHF radio in Enugu is significant as the city is strategically located to accommodate over six routes, both local and international.

“Enugu being on a higher latitude can cover Manfe entry/exit reporting point in Cameroun for international flights like Ethiopian, Rwanda Airlines and Kenya Airways and South Africa Airways,”Akinkuotu said.

He added that the new installation had provided Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network link that would enhance effective data communication for transmission of flight plans, Notice to Airmen and aeronautical communication messages.

Akinkuotu said it would also provide effective coordination between Enugu tower and Lagos Area Control Centre through the Air Traffic Services and Direct Speech for departing and arriving traffic ahead of time.