Tag: AVIATION

NRS Act: ‘Collapse looms, if maritime, aviation agencies lose revenue functions’ – Stakeholders

Aminu Imam
Maritime, aviation agencies

The collapse of the aviation and maritime sectors loom, as President Bola Tinubu planned to strip key regulatory agencies of their revenue collection functions, thereby, threatening their operations. Although many have expressed reserve over the proposed renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) by President Bola Tinubu, on the excuse that they do not have enough facts to opinionated on the matter, a few others who spoke with newsmen on the development said the move could have several implications for fiscal matters in Nigeria, particularly concerning tax administration and…

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US shuts direct flights from Lagos, as bi-lateral window closes

Aminu Imam
US on 9ja flights

Nigeria has lost the United States Category One status as the country’s airlines failed to operate directly to the country for two years. The new United States Federal Aviation Administration (USFAA) law says that the failure of any country’s airlines to operate directly to the US for two years or vice-versa would lead to the loss of the Category-One (CAT-1) Status. With this removal, Nigerian airlines, including those planning to commence direct flights from Lagos, cannot operate directly to any city or airport in the US until the country is…

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High Operational Cost: Azman Air shuts down operation

Aminu Imam
Azman Air

…Sends staff on ‘compulsory leave’ Azman Air Services Limited has asked all its staff to embark on compulsory leave without pay amidst on-going C-checks on its aircraft and the high cost of operations. C-check entails the inspection, overhaul, repair, preservation and replacement of parts of an aircraft, including preventive maintenance, identified as a full block C-check, under the airframe manufacturer’s maintenance manuals and planning documents. The airline‘s spokesperson, Nurudden Aliyu, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday, said, “The decision was made due to a number of factors, including the on-going…

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‘Some private jets used for money laundering, drug trafficking’– Minister

Aminu Imam
Minister on private jets

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says some private aircraft operating in Nigeria are being used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activities. Keyamo made the revelation at the Ministry of Aviation in Abuja yesterday, when he inaugurated a Ministerial Taskforce Committee to checkmate illegal chartered operations in the country. Though the Minister did not mention the names of the airlines, he asserted that these illegal activities have made the sector lose billions of dollars and raised serious security concerns. The Minister further stated that some…

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FG duspends ‘Nigeria Air’ indefinitely – Keyamo

Aminu Imam
Nigeria Air

…Says project fraudulent The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has described the controversial national carrier: ‘Nigeria Air’ unveiled by the immediate-past Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as a fraud, stating that it remains suspended indefinitely. Keyamo disclosed this  while fielding questions from newsmen during the second day of the ‘Ministerial Sectoral Update’, which was held yesterday in Abuja to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office. The Minister declared that the Nigeria Air project remained suspended, adding that it was anti-Nigeria. Giving details about that project, Keyamo noted…

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Emirates to resume operation in Nigeria October 1

Aminu Imam
Emirates

Emirates Airlines has announced plans to recommence flight operations to Nigerian airports starting from October 1, 2024, following a two-year hiatus from operating in Nigeria. The airline, which announced this via its official X account yesterday,  said it shall beoperating a daily service between Lagos and Dubai, and offering customers more choice and connectivity from Nigeria’s largest city to, and through, Dubai. According to the tweet: “The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER. EK783 will depart Dubai at 0945hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1520hrs; the return flight EK784…

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Nigerian College of Aviation, Zaria has no single helicopter for training – Rector

Aminu Imam

The Acting Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT), Zaria, Shaka Imalighwe, has disclosed that the institute has no single helicopter for training. Imalighwe made the disclosure last Thursday, during the investigative hearing on the sale of the two helicopters in Abuja. Imalighwe told the House of Reps Committee on Public Assetst hat he took over the management of the college in an acting capacity in January 2024. According to him, even though he was the Deputy Rector of the College at the time the helicopters were sold,…

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Qatar Airways breaks silence on plan to exit Nigeria

Aminu Imam

Qatar Airways has opened up on rumoured plans for the airline to stop operating in Nigeria. The airline’s Vice-President for Africa, Hendrik du-Preez, in a published interview, explained that the cost of doing business in Africa and Nigeria poses a significant challenge to every airline operating in the region. Recall that IATA had earlier reportedly confirmed that British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and other foreign airlines could leave Nigeria soon over trapped ticket revenues in Nigeria and other countries. However, Du-Preez stated that despite the many obstacles, especially in Nigeria, where…

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Trapped Revenue: British, Ethiopian, Turkish airlines, others might soon leave Nigeria

Aminu Imam

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been cautioned by the International Air Travel Association, (IATA), regarding the potential departure of certain foreign airlines from the Nigerian markets. The IATA regional vice-president for Africa & Middle-East, Kamil Alawadhi, conveyed this message during a media presentation held with African journalists at the IATA Global Media Day in Geneva, Switzerland. This warning stems from the existing challenge of $792 million in ticket revenue currently inaccessible within the country. The IATA urged the Nigerian government to expedite actions on the funds It added that…

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“Ethiopian Airlines, not FAAN banned ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags for travellers” — Regulator

Aminu Imam

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has denied banning ‘Ghana-must-go’ sacks for air travellers, saying a private foreign airline took such decision as an internal policy. Media reports had erroneously attributed the ban to the regulatory agency owing to a misrepresentation of a memo in circulation online. However, a clearer copy of the document, which was addressed to FAAN as a notification, a copy of which was obtained by newsmen yesterday showed the contrary. FAAN, which took to its official X (formerly Twitter) handle to make the clarification, said: “Kindly…

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