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Nigeria Air 91 Percent Completed, to Begin Flight Operations by December

Muhammadu Buhari has recently disclosed that the nation’s national carrier ‘Nigeria air’ is 91 percent ready and will begin its flight operations by December.

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President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has recently disclosed that the nation’s national carrier ‘Nigeria air’ is 91 percent ready and will begin its flight operations by December.

The Airline had been proposed to take off in April but failed to meet the deadline due to challenges ravaging the aviation industry, as it has been rescheduled to take off by December.

Nigeria Air will be launched with three Boeing 737-800 in a configuration very suitable for the Nigerian market. It has also begun its recruitment process for captains and crew members.

According to Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, the nation’s national carrier would have an initial capital of $300 million and 30 aircraft within four years.

“Nigeria Air Limited received from Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) an Air Transport License (ATL), signaling the end of the beginning of operations of the Airline. Commencement date of domestic operations will be announced in due course,” he said.

On the other hand, President Buhari has given the assurance that the Lagos and Abuja international airports had been certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) while Kano and Port Harcourt airports are undergoing similar certification processes for smooth flight operation.

Ethiopian Airline (ET) consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for Nigeria Air after it scored 89 percent out of 100 in the technical bidding process and 15 out of 20 as regards financial bids.

49 percent of the Nigeria Air project will be owned by equity partners and 46 percent by Nigerians, while the Federal Government will own five percent of the shares.

It is however interesting to note that Nigeria Air will not be the first indigenous airline owned by Ethiopian Airlines in Africa as it also has shares in airlines in other countries, which includes 45 percent of Zambia Airways, 49 percent of Guinea Airways, 100 percent of Ethiopia-Mozambique Airlines, 49 percent of Chad Airlines and 49 percent of Air Malawi.

Investors King understands that Nigeria’s defunct carrier, Nigeria Airways, collapsed due to corruption and poor management, which the federal government blamed the incompetence of those with little knowledge of the aviation industry for the collapse of the national carrier.

The government has however promised to restore the glorious days when Nigeria’s Airways was the preferred choice of Nigerians, both the middle and upper class of the social ladder.

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IATA Reveals 16.6% Rise in Global Flight Demand for January 2024

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has unveiled statistics indicating a surge in global flight demand for January 2024.

According to the latest report released by the IATA, passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, rose by 16.6%.

This surge was particularly pronounced in international air travel with a 20.8% increase in demand. Simultaneously, capacity saw a 20.9% boost, resulting in a load factor of 79.7%.

Domestically, demand rose by 10.4% with a capacity increase of 4.6%, and a notable 4.2 percentage point surge in load factor, reaching 80.2%.

Willie Walsh, the Director General of IATA, expressed optimism about the industry’s resilience despite prevailing economic and geopolitical uncertainties.

He emphasized the crucial role of aviation as a catalyst for economic growth, urging governments to adopt policies that facilitate cost reduction, enhance efficiency, and advance towards the ambitious target of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

African airlines notably observed an 18.5% surge in traffic, albeit with a slight decline in load factor to 73.3%.

The report also highlighted China’s robust domestic demand driven by Lunar New Year travel, prompting carriers to increase capacity, particularly through wide-body jet deployment.

As the aviation industry charts a course into 2024, the robust start to the year signals resilience amidst challenges, with stakeholders eyeing sustainable growth and innovation to navigate the evolving landscape of global air travel.

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Nigeria Excluded as UAE Unveils 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa to offer increased flexibility for travelers.

However, Nigeria finds itself excluded from this favorable arrangement due to the strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The new visa policy enables tourists from eligible nations to enter and exit the UAE multiple times over a five-year period, provided they spend at least 90 days in the country during each visit.

It aims to enhance tourism and facilitate business interactions, aligning with the UAE’s vision of becoming a global economic hub.

Nigeria’s exclusion from the five-year visa offering stems from a series of diplomatic disputes and travel restrictions between the two nations.

In 2022, the UAE abruptly halted the issuance of visas to Nigerian citizens, along with those from 19 other African countries, without providing detailed explanations.

This move disrupted travel and business ties between the nations, including the suspension of flights by Emirates Airline from Nigeria due to financial disputes.

While the UAE’s new visa scheme promises increased ease of travel and extended stays for tourists, Nigerians remain sidelined from these benefits.

The exclusion underscores the need for diplomatic efforts to mend relations and restore normalcy in bilateral affairs.

Nigerian officials have yet to issue a formal response to the UAE’s latest visa policy.

However, it highlights the challenges facing Nigerian travelers and the urgency for constructive dialogue to address underlying tensions and foster cooperation between the two nations.

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Nigeria Faces Passport Scarcity as Booklets Remain Stuck in Warehouses

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Nigeria is confronting a looming passport scarcity as thousands of passport booklets remain stranded in warehouses across the country due to a cash crunch and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

This revelation comes as service providers report outstanding debts running into billions of naira, further exacerbating the situation.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has been grappling with challenges related to the remittance of its share of revenues from passport issuance, hindering the distribution of funds necessary to clear the backlog and release the passport booklets from storage.

The Treasury Single Account (TSA), a key component of the government’s financial management system, has been inactive, complicating matters further.

The scarcity of passport booklets threatens to derail the progress made by the Ministry of Interior in clearing over 200,000 passport backlogs, a feat achieved through reforms initiated by Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior.

Despite these efforts, the current predicament risks leading to another accumulation of passport applications if not urgently addressed.

Officials of the NIS have emphasized that the Service should not bear the blame for the impending scarcity, highlighting the complexities of revenue distribution and bureaucratic procedures involved in passport issuance.

The NIS relies heavily on revenue from abroad, which accounts for 50% of the proceeds from passport issuance. Delays in accessing these funds have severely hampered the NIS’s ability to settle debts with service providers and release the passport booklets to the public.

As concerns mount over the potential passport shortage, applicants across the country are experiencing difficulties obtaining the necessary documentation, with complaints emerging from passport offices in various locations, including Lagos and Abuja.

Efforts to resolve the crisis are underway, but the lingering challenges underscore the need for swift and effective measures to ensure the timely availability of passport booklets and maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s passport issuance system.

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