MAY 05, 2024

Story by Mollie Quirk

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been branded as "naïve" for ignoring a stark security warning ahead of their Nigeria trip.

The couple, who stepped down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020, will be visiting the West African country shortly after Harry's return trip to the UK. Harry is returning to his home country this coming week for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, with the Duke due to give a reading at St Paul's Cathedral.

The trip to Nigeria is also in honour of the sporting event, with the Sussexes set to take part in talks about the games. According to reports, it is believed that Harry and Meghan will be travelling to the West African country with a team of people from the Archewell company and will likely stay at a lavish hotel.

The couple have been advised to keep a low profile during their visit to Nigeria to reduce security risks, a former head of royal protection has said. But former Divisional Commander in the Metropolitan Police, Dai Davies, has warned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could struggle to do that after it emerged the couple will visit the African country in May.

Mr Davies spoke to the Express, where he warned the couple could face several security risks on their trip. Warning them to keep a low profile due to potential terror threats, disease and kidnapping attempts, he said: "But Harry and Meghan don't know the meaning of low profile.

"It's a brave man to say Nigeria is safe. But they are private citizens now. They can go where they like with their protection officers. They are probably ex-military and I'm sure are very good."

Touching on the couple's "naivety", he told the paper: "I think there's a naivety in him and those advising him. There's a narrative born out of privilege: 'If I want to go somewhere, then why shouldn't I?'

"But I would be very careful, looking at all the circumstances of this visit, and ensuring it's as safe as possible."

MAY 05, 2024

The United kingdom (UK) says only international students coming in for their Doctor of Philosophy.(PhD) studies were eligible to bring in dependents to the country.

Dr. Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria made this known in an interview with the Newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that, the educational system policy changed earlier this year for international students in higher education not to bring dependents into the UK was to curb the increase of foreign student bringing in dependents.

He explained that the huge surge in dependence was putting an unsustainable pressure on many universities, adding that, it was the reason these changes were introduced.

Montgomery added that before his posting as High Commissioner to Nigeria, he had spoken to some of these universities on the policy change, which had been in the pipeline for some time.

He noted that the universities Chancellors had complained of the huge student populations’ highlighting that accommodation was a huge challenge, access to medical services under the National Health Service and access to school if they brought in dependents.

According to him, the restrictions do not apply to all categories, adding that those doing a long term research degree, like a PhD, or doctorate were not affected.

“Those coming to the UK for doctorate can still bring their dependency but if you are coming to the UK with a study visa for an undergraduate degree, or short term master’s degree am afraid the rules have been changed.

“People need to understand why this change was brought in, and it is a sensible change because we have a large higher education sector and most of these universities are in towns across the country.

“There has been a surge recently, in demand for British education and I can give you the macro figures and there has also been a huge increase in foreign students bringing their dependants.

“In the case of Nigeria, in 2019, before the Coronavirus pandemic, there were only one and a half thousand dependents being brought in from Nigeria, with those on study visas,

“In 2022, that figure had increased to fifty two thousand dependants so that’s a thirty fold increase in dependence. And it’s not just about Nigeria by the way.

“It is also about all foreign students, we saw similar rises, for example amongst Indian students coming to study in the UK,” he added.

Speaking on the policy initiation it is early to ascertain the impact of the policy on undergraduates because these changes were announced in 2023, but came into effect early this year and we would have to wait until September 2024, before we get the next run of academic tickets, he said.

“I think what your wider audience needs to hear is that the demand for UK education is really strong, in

2022, 65,000 study visas was approved to Nigerian applicants, 65,000, while in  September  2023 we received about 115,000 Study visa applications from Nigeria.

“Of which 95 per cent were approved and over 110,000 study visas were issued last September compared to 65,000 of the previous year, there’s almost a doubling of Nigerian study visas in 2023 which means the demand is really high.

” And it is something which I am genuinely pleased and proud about that the UK has such a good higher educational sector and we are still at the six economy, and is still one of the biggest economies but we are only 2.5 per cent of the global economy.

“So we have 17 of the top 100 universities in the world. We have 17 per cent of the top universities, so it is one of our units.

“I really like the demand but there are other factors at play in terms of schooling in the UK , the value of the Naira in the coming months will also determine how easy or hard it will be for many people to afford our education.

“But I really hope that the number of people who bring dependants in UK may actually not be a majority, but a minority of people have tried to study in the UK so am hoping that the demand will be sustained.

MAY 06, 2024

By Oluyemi Ogunseyin

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, on Sunday said that the number of dependents who accompany students from Nigeria to the United Kingdom (UK) rose from 1,500 to 52,000 between 2019 and 2022. Montgomery made this known in a statement following his interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. "In the…

Richard Montgomery says dependents from Nigeria to the United Kingdom (UK) rose from 1,500 to 52,000 in three years

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, on Sunday said that the number of dependents who accompany students from Nigeria to the United Kingdom (UK) rose from 1,500 to 52,000 between 2019 and 2022.

Montgomery made this known in a statement following his interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

“In the case of Nigeria, in 2019, before the Coronavirus pandemic, there were only 1,500 dependents being brought in from Nigeria, with those on study visas,” he said.

“In 2022, that figure had increased to 52,000 dependents so that’s a thirty fold increase in dependence.”

Montgomery said the increase in dependents accompanying students to the UK is not peculiar to Nigeria alone.

He added that it is also about all foreign students, as there was a similar increase among Indians coming to study in the UK.

Montgomery disclosed that those coming to the UK for doctorate degree can still bring their dependents.

However, for those coming to the UK with a study visa for an undergraduate degree, or short term master’s degree, he said the rules have been changed.

“People need to understand why this change was brought in, and it is a sensible change because we have a large higher education sector and most of these universities are in towns across the country,” he explained.

“There has been a surge recently, in demand for British education and I can give you the macro figures and there has also been a huge increase in foreign.”

MAY 06, 2024

BY  Olasunkanmi Akinlotan

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has said it has concluded plans with the Office of the National Security Adviser to reduce the number of security checkpoints at the country’s airports.

This follows complaints by travellers who have bemoaned the delays caused by multiple physical security checks.

Speaking with newsmen over the weekend, the Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku said the agency and the office of the NSA have agreed to carry out short and long-term measures to address the issue.

Part of the measures will include the creation of a joint coordination room where all the agencies can perform the necessary checks by monitoring CCTV cameras.

Kuku noted that the issue of multiple security checkpoints was the first challenge she took up upon the assumption of office.

The FAAN MD added that she has had productive conversations with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu to craft viable solutions to the issue.

She said, “On the issues of the checking of baggage, it borders me so much and that was the first inquiry that I made when I assumed office. As far back as 2011 and 2012 when I was in the industry, I have worked on this with the former Minister.

“It goes beyond FAAN, a lot of those agencies, Customs, NDLEA, Quarantine, Agriculture, we now have EFCC, we have almost everybody at the airports, we had Executive order 001 during the Buhari administration to move them out under the then Vice President office, now we have the National Single Window, I have personally sat with the NSA over the last five weeks to have conversations with him as to how we will streamline the facilitation.”

Hinting at resolutions which came out of her meeting with the security agencies, Kuku said, “We have agreed on a few things, the first one is a short-term intervention where we reduce the number of agencies at the airports.

“The second is the longer term, a joint coordination room, we do have cameras, so we are asking all of those agencies, depending on what it is they are looking for to move to the joint coordination room to look at the cameras and observe and for those that are more concerned with the baggage, they can move down to where we load the bags.”

MAY 06, 2024

BY  Angus Whitley, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd. will pay a A$100 million ($66 million) penalty and compensate passengers for selling tickets on thousands of flights it had already decided to cancel, as Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson continues costly repairs to the airline’s battered reputation.

Under an agreement with Australia’s competition watchdog, Qantas will also pay between A$225 to A$450 to more than 86,000 impacted customers as part of a A$20 million remediation program, the airline said Monday.

The deal settles a fiery legal dispute between Qantas and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that last year triggered the early retirement of then-Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce and led to a boardroom cleanout to repair the company’s brand.

Joyce’s replacement, Vanessa Hudson, is now footing the bill as Qantas attempts to restore its status as a marquee carrier. She kicked off her tenure last year by ploughing extra money into major customer bugbears like on-board catering and call-center staffing. Last month, she overhauled the frequent flyer business to make it easier for customers to redeem points for flights.

“Today represents another important step forward,” Hudson said Monday.

Shares in Qantas rose as much as 0.5% to A$5.91 in early Sydney trading. The stock has risen 10% this year. 

Joyce’s reign was known for its focus on shareholders, profits and bumper dividends. Hudson’s first few months have put a bigger emphasis on customers.

While Qantas on Monday apologized to passengers and acknowledged its shortcomings as flights restarted after the pandemic, the size of the fine is also a financial letoff. The ACCC was pursuing a record penalty of more than A$250 million to punish Qantas for selling tickets on flights there were never going to take off.

The watchdog claimed Qantas kept on selling tickets — typically for more than two weeks but sometimes longer than a month — on thousands of flights it had already scrapped. Qantas’ misconduct stretched from May 2021 until August 2023, affecting tens of thousands of flights, the ACCC said.

“Qantas’ conduct was egregious and unacceptable,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a statement. “Many consumers will have made holiday, business and travel plans after booking on a phantom flight that had been cancelled.”

Impacted customers who made a booking two or more days after the flight was cancelled will receive A$225 for a domestic or trans-Tasman flight, and A$450 for an international service. This is in addition to any refund already offered.

MAY 09, 2024

BY Robert Greenall

BBC News

A Boeing 737-300 aircraft has skidded off a runway in Senegal, injuring at least 10 people, four of them seriously.

The incident occurred as Air Senegal flight HC 301 was taking off for the Malian capital Bamako in the early hours of Thursday, Dakar's Blaise Diagne airport said in a statement.

The pilot was slightly injured, but most of the 78 passengers on board were not hurt in the incident.

Operations were halted at the airport for a few hours but have now resumed.

Emergency services at the airport were mobilised to evacuate passengers, the airport's statement said.

An inquiry is under way to determine the causes of the incident, which took place at around 0100 GMT.

Boeing has not commented on the incident, nor has Transair, the private company from which Air Senegal chartered the plane.

Though it is not yet known what caused the crash, it comes as the manufacturer faces a deepening crisis over its safety record.

An unused door blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max in January shortly after take-off in the US.

The company is facing a criminal investigation into that incident.

The Senegal crash comes as a former quality inspector at Boeing's largest supplier told the BBC that plane bodies regularly left the factory with serious defects.

The company, Spirit AeroSystems, said it "strongly disagreed" with the allegations.

MAY 12, 2024

Despite ongoing discussions about financial migration, New York City continues to hold the title of the wealthiest city globally. The collective resident assets of this city are over $3 trillion, according to a new study by Henley & Partners, a consultancy specializing in global wealth mobility.

The city boasts nearly 350,000 millionaires, the highest number worldwide, marking a 48% increase from 10 years ago. This wealth concentration means roughly one in every 24 New Yorkers possesses a net worth of at least one million dollars, compared to one in 36 a decade ago.

The city’s allure for the ultrarich continues unabated by the ongoing debates on financial migration. Nearly 350,000 millionaires are calling it home, which is a 48% increase from a decade ago. This concentration of wealth signifies that about one in every 24 residents has a net worth of at least one million dollars, compared to one in 36 in 2013.

According to Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, this wealth accumulation is primarily driven by the recent boom in global financial markets. "The S&P 500's 24% gain last year, along with the Nasdaq's 43% surge and Bitcoin's staggering 155% rally, has buoyed the fortunes of wealthy investors," he explained.

New York's ultrarich population includes 60 billionaires and 744 individuals with investable assets exceeding $100 million. The city not only retains a significant portion of the world’s ultrarich but also continues to draw high-net-worth individuals despite its high living costs.

These figures showcase New York’s financial clout at a time when there’s apprehension about a potential wealth shift to Florida, where the finance sector is nurturing a "Wall Street South." Miami did rise to the 33rd spot in millionaire rankings, up 78% over the past decade, but remains far behind New York.

Meanwhile, the city faces a contrasting migration trend. Nearly 200,000 New Yorkers with incomes below $172,000 have relocated from the city between 2017 and 2022, driven by soaring living expenses. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment now stands at $4,950, up 26% since last year, according to Zumper.

Child care has also become prohibitively expensive, with families needing to earn around $300,000 annually to afford these costs — far above the city’s median family income of about $75,000. This economic disparity highlights the challenges faced by lower-income residents, making New York a city of extreme financial dichotomies.

Globally, wealth dynamics are shifting. The Bay Area ranks second with 305,700 millionaires, while Tokyo, previously a top contender, holds the third spot with 298,300 millionaires, experiencing a slight decline.

Emerging wealth centers like Shenzhen have seen a 140% increase in their millionaire populations over the past decade. Cities like London and Hong Kong have witnessed declines, influenced by significant political and economic events like Brexit and stringent pandemic-era policies in China.

As wealth continues to concentrate in cities like New York, the global distribution of wealth remains dynamic. The traditional financial hubs are maintaining their lead while newer destinations increasingly attract the globe’s richest.

MAY 14, 2024

By Princess Etuk

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called upon a French airline, Air France-KLM, to make its lower-priced ticket fares available to Nigerian travellers, emphasising the importance of fairness in ticketing.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to Keyamo, Tunde Moshood on Monday.

PUNCH recalls that more than two years ago, foreign airlines, including Air France-KLM, suspended their low-priced tickets for Nigerian routes due to ticket revenue, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, being inaccessible in Nigeria.

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However, In March, the airlines started to restore their low-priced fares after the Central Bank of Nigeria finalised the payment of approximately $7bn backlog, encompassing over $700m in unremitted ticket revenue.

The statement read in parts, “During the meeting, Air France-KLM expressed appreciation for the improved facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, particularly acknowledging the enhanced experience at wing E. They also extended gratitude for the Minister’s leadership in fostering a smoother relationship between their team and various aviation regulatory agencies.

“Highlighting their commitment to innovation and service excellence, Air France-KLM announced the launch of their new Airbus A330/A350 aircraft, emphasising their dedication to deploying modern and improved aircraft services on routes within Nigeria. This initiative aligns with their overarching goal of providing Nigerian travellers with a superior journey experience.

“Air France-KLM commended the Minister for his intervention and successful facilitation of fund repatriation, showcasing the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in overcoming challenges within the aviation sector.

“In response, the Minister welcomed the Air France-KLM team and expressed gratitude for their visit. He emphasised the importance of equitable pricing for Nigerian travellers, urging the airline to consider offering lower-priced ticket fares to ensure parity with fares in neighbouring regions.”

Keyamo emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to partnering with the travel industry, stressing collaboration with Air France-KLM to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for Nigerians.

“He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to fostering partnerships within the travel industry, emphasising the government’s open-door policy and willingness to collaborate with airlines to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for all Nigerians.

“The courtesy visit by Air France-KLM exemplifies the mutual commitment to advancing the aviation sector in Nigeria and lays the groundwork for future collaborations aimed at delivering unparalleled travel experiences to passengers across the nation.”

MAY 14, 2024

By Juliet Umeh

To become one of the top trading economies of the world, the government of Taiwan yesterday, charged the federal government to make effort to bring back home all its talented people around the globe.

The Chief of Mission of Taiwan government in Nigeria, Mr. Andy Liu, who gave the advice at Taiwan Business Forum 2024 in Lagos yesterday, said that such a policy was what helped his country.

Liu, who noted that Nigerian people were highly talented in all spheres of life but scattered all over the world, said:  “I think Nigerian people should be very proud of yourself because you are one of the most creative, the most practical, and the most dynamic people in the world.

”Not just your knowledge in the movie, music industry, but your talent of becoming world-recognized, of so many medical, scientifically talented people around the world.”

Speaking on how Taiwan became one of the top trading models in the world, Liu said his country placed emphasis on education and had attracted all their talents back home.

He said: “One of the important things is for your society, for your people to attract your talents back home from abroad.

“We in Taiwan did that so seriously in the 1990s and early 2000s. We attracted people from abroad back to Taiwan to set up companies, to set up factories and set up the assembly line.

“So, the Taiwan Semiconductor Corporation was set up in the late 1980s and it became the top leader in the world of semiconductors and microchips. The founder was a 55 years oldretired scientist and also entrepreneur in the US.

“Our government invited him to come back to Taiwan at the age of 55 and established a company that ran for 30 years and became the most successful company in the world in science and semiconductors.”

“So, please brace yourselves up by bringing your talented people back.  And Taiwan has been regarded by Madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the World Trade Organization Director General, as one of the top trading models in the world. We are the top 20 trading economies in the world and we are the 15th richest country in the world.”

MAY 15, 2024

By Tosin Oyediran

The Migration Advisory Committee has proposed that the United Kingdom’s Graduate route visa’s two-year- validity should be maintained.

It, however, proposed an extension for PhD holders – recommending three years.

The committee insisted that it found no significant abuse of the Graduate route but raised concerns about recruitment agents misleading international students.

A Graduate visa permits applicants to stay in the UK for at least two years after successfully completing a course.

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Also, one must be in the UK during the application, PUNCH Online reports.

This decision comes amidst heightened anticipation and speculation regarding the future of post-study opportunities for international students.

The committee’s decision is contained in a report titled “Rapid Review of the Graduate Route” from Asset Manager dated May 2024, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday

PUNCH Online reports that Asset Manager is an API that is called internally by GOV.UK publishing applications to manage their uploads.

In the report’s foreword, written by Prof. Brian Bell (Chair); Prof. Dina Kiwan; Prof. Sergi Pardos-Prado; Dr Madeleine Sumption MBE; and Prof. Jo Swaffiel, MAC noted that “After reviewing the evidence, our conclusion is clear. The Graduate route has broadly achieved and continues to achieve, the objectives set by this government. We therefore recommend that the route remains in place in its current form.”

They also recommended mandatory requirements for universities to ensure transparency and protect the integrity of the UK Higher Education system.

“The Migration Advisory Committee concluded that there is no substantial evidence of significant abuse of the Graduate route, defined as deliberate non-compliance with immigration regulations.

“However, they express concerns regarding the involvement of recruitment agents, particularly in certain markets, who may provide misleading information to prospective international students.

“Despite the introduction of a voluntary framework by the sector to address these concerns, the MAC questions its effectiveness, citing the lack of incentives for agents to adhere to best practices compared to universities.

“They recommend that the government consider implementing mandatory requirements to ensure good practice and advocate for universities to publish information on their use of agents to enhance transparency.

“These measures are proposed to safeguard the integrity of the UK Higher Education system,” it further read.

International education goals

Our correspondent’s summary from the 70-page report revealed that MAC recommends maintaining the Graduate route as it has effectively supported international education goals.

They caution against significant changes due to potential negative impacts on the higher education sector’s financial stability.

Additionally, they propose mandatory registration and quality controls for international recruitment agents to safeguard students and ensure accurate representation of UK higher education.

“The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommends maintaining the Graduate route in its current form. Despite concerns over misuse and government objectives regarding net migration, the route has been effective in supporting international education strategies.

“Closure or further restrictions on the Graduate route could jeopardize the financial stability of many universities. The MAC advises against significant changes until the full impact of recent policy shifts is understood and the higher education funding model is addressed.

“Collaboration between the government and higher education sector is encouraged to align the Graduate route with labour market objectives. International graduates could be better integrated into priority sectors, benefiting both universities and the economy.

“To ensure accurate representation and protect international students from exploitation, the MAC recommends mandatory registration and quality controls for international recruitment agents. A new data-sharing framework involving universities, the British Council, and UK Visas and Immigration should be established to monitor agent practices effectively.” the recommendations read.

2023 graduate visas

With the release of staggering statistics from 2023, it has been revealed that a whopping 114,000 Graduate visas were granted to main applicants alone, accompanied by an additional 30,000 visas for dependents.

This substantial influx underscores the vital role international graduates play in contributing to the UK’s workforce and enriching its diverse cultural landscape.

Highlighting the global appeal of British education, a remarkable 70 per cent of these visas were awarded to students from four key countries: India, Nigeria, China, and Pakistan.

This data not only underscores the UK’s allure as a top destination for higher education but also emphasizes the pivotal contributions made by students from these nations to the country’s academic and economic spheres.

As discussions surrounding immigration policy continue to evolve, this recommendation by MAC stands as a pivotal moment in shaping the future of international education and talent retention in the UK.