OCTOBER 21, 2024

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s No 1 carrier has said it will soon introduce its newest state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft that offers unmatched comfort, luxury, and technological advancements to its Lagos fleet. 

This is just as it marked its 78th anniversary at the 20th Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos.

The airline’s Sales Manager, Mrs. Adetola Alabi, disclosed this while presenting a paper titled: ‘Ethiopian Airlines, Past, Present and Future Innovations for Continued Leadership in Aviation’.

She also showcased the airline’s rich history and exciting future.

Alabi said that passengers could expect a spacious and modern cabin with wider seats, more legroom, and a premium travel experience.

The A350-1000, Alabi informed, also features cutting-edge entertainment systems, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a quieter, smoother flight.

On the legacy of resilience and innovation, the sales manager stated that Ethiopian Airlines has been steadfast in Nigeria since the country’s independence in 1960.

She noted that despite challenging times, including the Nigerian Civil War the airline has remained committed to serving the Nigerian market.

OCTOBER 21, 2024

A record number of Nigerians are seeking protection in Canada, according to new reports from the country’s immigration authorities.

Data from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show that asylum seekers in the first half of 2024 marked the highest number in a decade. In this period, up to 7,650 Nigerians requested refugee protection—a 408% increase from the same period in 2023 and a 95% rise compared to 2015 when only 305 asylum claims were recorded.

Canadian media reports indicate that since 2013, the foremost reasons for refugee claims from Nigeria have been gender-based violence, sexual orientation, and religion, according to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

Nearly 32 percent of the 34,970 Nigerian refugee claims filed between 2013 and 2023 were due to gender-based and domestic violence, 21.4 percent cited persecution based on sexual orientation, and 13.8 percent were related to religious reasons.

However, experts believe other factors may be driving the massive rise this year.

“Nigeria is the largest country in Africa, and naturally, the numbers will be bigger,” Usha George, a professor in the school of social work at the Toronto Metropolitan University and an expert in newcomer settlement and integration in Canada, told BusinessDay. “Apart from religious issues, there’s also the political and economic situation in Nigeria, which isn’t conducive to people staying there.”

Nigeria’s economy has been caught in a worsening crisis over the past year. Inflation is at levels not seen in nearly three decades, the naira continues to depreciate, and essential goods like food and fuel are increasingly unaffordable for the majority of the population.

“These Nigerians see Canada as a better option,” Usha added. “It’s a stable country where they can build a life without fear.”

In response to the growing influx of refugees and asylum-seekers, the Canadian government announced in November 2023 that it would provide $7 million to establish a reception centre near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The facility aims to streamline services and housing for refugees.

Canada has welcomed over 200,000 immigrants annually since 1988. Recently, the country decided to increase this figure to over 400,000 per year. Under its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada aims to welcome 76,115 refugees by 2026, with 72,750 expected this year alone.

One of the driving factors behind Canada’s open immigration policy is its low natural population growth, which has led to sluggish labour force and economic growth. This situation makes it difficult for the government to generate the tax revenue needed to support social services such as healthcare and education.

One way Canada has addressed this is its Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) which offers government-assisted refugees a range of essential services, including monthly income support, school allowances for children, maternity and newborn allowances, and a housing supplement.

“Canada has a relatively generous refugee policy,” Usha said. “Once you set foot in Canada, you cannot be deported easily. That encourages people to try their luck—even though only 42 percent of claimants are successful, with 45 percent of cases withdrawn or abandoned.”

Usha also pointed out the possible role of irregular migration in the rising numbers. “There’s a network of people facilitating the movement of Nigerians to Canada. Once a path opens through informal channels, others follow.”

Meanwhile, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, has repeatedly urged Nigerians to avoid dangerous migration routes and ensure they follow legal processes. “There should be no short corners and no irregularities in the immigration process,” she told willing migrants

As for whether this trend will continue, Usha said, “It depends on several factors.” Unless Nigeria undergoes significant political reform, curbs ethnic violence, and alleviates economic hardships, the rate of asylum claims out of the country may not drop anytime soon, she suggests.

OCTOBER 21, 2024

By Lara Adejoro

Nigerians spent about $2.38m on foreign healthcare-related services from January to June 2024, findings by The PUNCH have shown.

This is according to a report from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the amount spent on health-related and social services under the sectoral utilisation of foreign exchange.

A breakdown of the report showed that $2.3m was spent in January; $0.00m in February; $0.01m in March; $0.00m in April; $0.05m in May; and $0.02m in June.

Our correspondent observed that the amount spent on foreign healthcare-related services in the first half of the year was more than that spent in the second half of 2023 from July to December, which was at $0.69m.

The development showed an increase of $1.69m of the amount spent from January to June this year.

However, compared to the figure for the first half of 2023, which was $3.13m, there was a reduction of $0.75m.

When President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the Nigeria Sovereign  Investment Authority, a healthcare expansion programme, through which 120,000 frontline health workers would be retrained, he said the move would reverse the trend of outbound medical tourism.

Commenting on the medical tourism spending, a professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State and former National Chairman of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Tanimola Akande, said the reported increase in medical tourism cost, as reported by the CBN, was an indication that so much money in hard currency was still being spent to seek medical care outside the country.

Akande highlighted that “Medical tourism is often perpetuated by elites. This is an indication that recent investment in high-class private health facilities in Nigeria has not been able to remarkably reduce the cost of medical tourism in Nigeria.

“The money spent on medical tourism, if channelled to improving local health facilities, will go a long way to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.

“The government should continue to promote investment in quality healthcare services in Nigeria. The government also needs to do a lot more to reduce the brain drain challenge and provide an enabling environment for high-class quality health care to flourish in Nigeria.”

OCTOBER 21, 2024

No fewer than four vessels carrying imported Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, arrived at seaports situated along the nation’s borders between Friday, October 18, and Sunday, October 20, findings by The PUNCH show.

According to a document obtained from the Nigerian Port Authority on Sunday, about 123.4 million litres of PMS were berthed at two seaports to improve fuel supply nationwide.

The latest development confirms an exclusive report by The PUNCH, which disclosed that oil dealers intend to import the commodity to supplement the supply from the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The dealers had stated that the supply from the Lekki-based plant was currently insufficient to meet domestic demand.

They had alleged that the plant was producing about 10 million litres of petrol daily, as against the 25 million litres that it earlier promised to produce.

In September, The PUNCH also reported that dealers imported about 141 million litres of PMS following a hike in the pump prices of petrol produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

They said the fair market price following the full deregulation of the downstream oil sector by the government allowed room for PMS imports.

An analysis of the document showed that the commodities landed at the Apapa port in Lagos and the Calabar port in Cross River State.

Our correspondent, however, could not confirm if any of the vessels belonged to the NNPCL or only oil marketers.

The first shipment carrying 35,000 metric tonnes of PMS allocated to the West African Port Services berthed at terminal ASPM jetty on Friday, October 18, at 10.13 am.

This was followed by 37,000 metric tonnes of fuel assigned to Intership at 3.37 pm. It also berthed at terminal ASPM jetty.

As of 3:59 pm of the same day, another vessel carrying 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel berthed. It was assigned to Peak Shipping as its agent.

At the Calabar port, a vessel carrying 10,000 metric tonnes of fuel arrived at the Eco marine terminal on Sunday at 8:02 am.

This means the four vessels brought in 92,000 metric tonnes.

Going by the conversion rate of 1,341 litres to one metric tonne, it, therefore, implies that the marketers brought in about 123.4 million litres of petrol.

When contacted in an earlier interview, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, George Ene-Ita, said marketers with approved import licenses were free to import PMS.

He, however, stressed that the products must be subjected to three major tests by the agency.

“The products must be subjected to our testing protocols at the ports. The products must conform to stipulated standards before we authorise them to offload to their terminals.

“Also, before the smaller vessels bring it further inland to Nigeria, our people will fly to the place to see the product and carry out some tests to ensure the right specification is upheld.

“Tests are also done at the products’ origins. And when the products come in before they are released to the market, further tests would be conducted to ensure that they meet the specifications,” he stated.

OCTOBER 22, 2024

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan

From November 1, 2024, a one-way flight ticket from Lagos to Abuja on Air Peace is to hit N200,000.

The harsh economy has been affecting the aviation business causing airlines to increase their fares amid lamentations from passengers.

This development has forced some Nigerians to abandon flights for road transport.

Checks by our correspondent on the airfares of airlines on Monday showed that Air Peace increased its fares to N200,000 from November, the highest among the domestic airlines.

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While Air Peace has N200,000 and above on its website for a one-way trip between Lagos and Abuja, Aero is charging N94,000 to over N109,000;  Arik Air has between N104,405 to N139,292; and Ibom Air ranges between N124,000 to over N133,000.

The high airfares have left many passengers stranded at airports in recent times, as they could not secure flights to their destinations.

The busiest routes, Lagos-Abuja and Abuja-Lagos, are more impacted as many passengers find it tough to secure seats.

An official of Air Peace who does not want her name in print confirmed the development, tying the increment to the present Nigeria’s worsening economic challenges.

“If you buy a ticket and see the breakdown, you will discover that we are bleeding as an aviation company and even the prices of running the business are almost getting out of control.

“Just as we all know, all these killing taxes go to the government, and businesses especially airlines have been left with no choice other than to do this, it is what it is.”

Also, efforts to get the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Toyin Olajide, were unfruitful as she ignored both calls and text messages of enquiry put across to her phone.

A businessman, Adeleke Aina, who told our correspondent that he has been travelling by air for years added that with the rates at which “airfares are skyrocketing by the day without any clear explanation other than economy this, economy that, I will be left with no other option than take road transport as my new meanings of movement.

“This is killing everything, fuel has turned into what it is and the Federal seems unconcerned with this abnormality. I fear for this country.”

OCTOBER 24, 2024

MONTREAL — Air Canada and airBaltic say they have signed a codeshare agreement that will help make it easier to fly between Canada and the Baltic states.

Under the deal, Air Canada's marketing code will be placed on 10 routes operated by airBaltic, allowing travellers to fly to Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania on a single ticket.

The routes will include airBaltic flights to Lithuania's capital of Vilnius, Latvia's capital Riga and Estonia's capital Tallinn, all from several European cities including Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Stockholm.

Meanwhile, airBaltic's marketing code will be placed on two routes operated by Air Canada from Toronto to Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

The changes are effective for travel beginning Nov. 6.

AirBaltic's marketing code will also be added to Air Canada's seasonal flights next summer from Montreal to Copenhagen and Amsterdam, as well as Toronto to Stockholm.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

OCTOBER 24, 2024

By Nivedita Balu

TORONTO (Reuters) - More Canadian homeowners are considering switching to variable rate from fixed rate mortgages after an unusually large interest rate cut by the central bank on Wednesday, mortgage brokers said.

The Bank of Canada cut its benchmark policy interest rate by 50 basis points to 3.75%, giving some relief to homeowners after mortgage payments shot up in recent years and increased overall living costs.

Higher borrowing rates helped fuel a housing affordability crisis that has been exacerbated by a record influx of immigrants and not enough homes for them, hurting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's popularity.

Most mortgages in Canada renew every three or five years and amortize over 20 or 25 years, exposing Canadians to rising rates. In the United States, homeowners can enjoy a fixed rate for the entire life of a 15-year or 30-year mortgage.

Canadians predominantly have either fixed-rate mortgages, which are influenced by bond prices, or variable-rate mortgages, which benefit as policy rates decline.

Andy Hill, a mortgage broker in Vancouver and founder of mortgage rate comparison website EveryRate.ca, said more than a dozen clients reached out in the past week looking to make a switch from fixed to variable mortgages, as Canada's largest rate cut since the COVID-19 pandemic was widely expected.

His calculations show switching would save on average C$4,500 ($3,252) for a mortgage of C$400,000, even after fines of up to C$4,800 to break the mortgage and switch.

OCTOBER 25, 2024

by  Chinedu Eze

The federal government may shut down Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for the rehabilitation of the runway, to make it safe for air travellers.

The airport which is the only facility that services international flight operations in the South-east may be shut down the third time, if government finally decided that the comprehensive work needed to put the runway in the best shape is to be done.

Runway is a safety critical infrastructure, which must be in good condition for aircraft to operate but experts versed in runway engineering say that there could be other ways of reconstructing it without wholly closing the airport.

The airport serves many people who live in Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia states. So, the closure will have major negative impact in the movement of the people, especially now travelling long distance by road is being discouraged due to insecurity.

“They are going to close the runway again. I can confirm that to you. What is worrying about it is that the governor of the state has shown a lot of commitment to that airport and closing it will constrict the state’s economic activities. That means that Nigerians will suffer again like the many times it was closed in the past for the same purpose.

“The runway breaking down now means that the quality of work done in the past is questionable; yet, so much money was voted for its rehabilitation. It doesn’t mean that they cannot use night time alone to repair it or close it on weekends; after all, runway at Gatwick Airport, London was rehabilitated recently but it was done in the night and it served flights during the day. But closing the airport is about our type of administrative system,” an insider who was head of aviation agency and witnessed the rehabilitation of the runway in 2019, said informed sources.

In 2020 when the airport was reopened after the work on the runway, the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, assured that that remedial work would be carried out from time to time on the runway, so that the airport would not be closed again over the same issue.

“FAAN management has been given the mandate to ensure that periodic maintenance is carried out diligently so that we will not have to go through a painful experience of closure again. May I ask the government and people in this region to increase their commitment by using this airport to the fullest of its capacity? This airport will be placed in concession to ensure value for money,” the then Minister had said.

Sirika disclosed at the reopening of the airport that he approved N10 billion as special funding for the rehabilitation of the airport, and that former President Mohammadu Buhari showed how dedicated he was towards the infrastructural development of the South-east.

Like what is happening now, there was a lot of contemplation before the airport was finally closed in 2019 for the rehabilitation because of the critical role the airport plays in the South-east.

A major operator to the airport, Air Peace, supported the closure of the airport then because of the bad runway and expressed hope that after comprehensive rehabilitation, the runway would be in excellent shape for safe and smooth flight operation.

The Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema, explained then that the closure was necessary to ensure safety of flight operations to the route.

“The management and staff of Air Peace wish to commend the federal government for the decision to close the Akanu Ibiam Enugu International Airport in order to allow proper repair and maintenance of the airports runway which has given us serious safety concerns.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Air Peace is fully and totally in support of this decision. Though the decision will affect the traveling public and, of course, the airline, we place the safety of the flying public, our crew and equipment above any commercial benefits,” Onyema said.

He urged the government to go all out to put everything in place, within the period of the closure that would make the airport rank among the best international airports in the country.

“We plead with the federal government to make the airport a 24 hours flight operations airport by improving the night landing infrastructure,” Onyema had further urged.

But just four years down the line, government is thinking of closing the airport again. It was then reconstructed by PW Nigeria Limited, a company, which has reputable experience in airport runway construction.

A FAAN official told THISDAY that the problem with the Enugu airport runway had been the issue of soil, adding that after it has been rehabilitated, continuous landing of aircraft weakens it and over time it needs to be rehabilitated again.

“The soil where the runway is built is soft; so, the impact of aircraft landing softens it and it gives way over time. But if they want to build everlasting infrastructure, they should do heavy concrete groundwork and then use asphalt on top, the way they did that of Abuja airport. That will prevent the current intermittent effort of rehabilitating after every few years, which disrupts flight operations. If you close the airport now, it will affect the economic activities of so many people,” he said.

However, the public affairs of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) told THISDAY thatt the plan to close the airport has not been communicated officially.

But the spokesperson of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Mrs. Josephine Ajara, told THISDAY that remedial work has been on-going on the runway and that there would be no announcement for the airport closure for a more comprehensive rehabilitation.

It is the opinion of many that the airport should not be closed again; rather, a different system should be adopted to rehabilitate the runway while it still provides service, as other countries do.

P.W. Nigeria Ltd. has now over 45 years of experience working in Nigeria, and throughout the West Africa region. P.W. Nigeria Ltd. has an extensive modern fleet of construction equipment and a team of highly trained and professional staff. It is highly committed to the continued development of Nigeria.

OCTOBER 28, 2024

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the aviation industry has a high mortality rate, which caused the demise of over 100 airlines in the last 40 years.

Keyamo disclosed this during the 10th anniversary of West Africa’s largest airline and Nigerian flag carrier, Air Peace in Lagos on Saturday.

The minister, however, promised that the current administration would end the incessant death of airlines.

He said, “I am excited to be here today for two reasons. First is that Air Peace has survived for 10 years and keeps thriving. If you look at the history of airlines in Nigeria, you will discover that it is difficult for them to survive 10 years and still look healthy. We have a history of great mortality of airlines.

“More than a hundred airlines have gone in the last 40 years and I know you all remember. From Concord to Zenith to Bellview, among others. You will then ask yourself why they die off, I can keep mentioning them because I have their list with me.

“So when we came to office we said there must be something responsible for this high mortality rate and now we have Air Peace looking strong and has continued to be on the rise and not on the decline.” 

Keyamo noted that the “situation is worrisome. Let me tell you why it is a thing of worry. A recent study by Boeing says that Nigeria accounts for 80 per cent of domestic travel in the whole of Africa. Not West Africa, not Central Africa, but the whole of Africa.

“The busiest route in the whole of Africa is the Lagos-Abuja route; that is, in the entire Africa. I think it is followed by Johannesburg-Cape Town. But Nigeria is number one in terms of domestic travel.

“We have the population, we have the traffic, we have the people. So it is surprising that if we have this traffic, why are the airlines not surviving? Ask yourself. Why are they not surviving? And together, since we assumed office I have sat down with operators to solve this problem and I listen to them.”

Keyamo said it has become reassuring that the 10-year-old Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, has defied the high mortality phenomenon, which happens to airlines with their first five to 10 years of operation, “indicating that it will be a great carrier of the future.”

The Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said the airline is a product of deep thinking and the desire to positively impact the country by creating jobs for the teaming Nigerian youths and not primarily to make profits.

“Air Peace is a product of deep thinking and a desire to make a far-reaching impact in a country I love deeply. Like most businesses, profit is an important motive; however, with Air Peace, profit was not the primary driving force behind its establishment,” he stated

OCTOBER 30, 2024

Northern Nigeria has been plunged into darkness for nearly two weeks. Engineers have been unable to carry out repairs due to insecurity. The Transmission Company of Nigeria says gunmen are occupying the area where the line is damaged. The power supply is crippled in 19 of Nigeria's 36 states, depriving millions of electricity and paralysing economic activity. There are now plans to deploy troops to the affected areas. 

Also in this edition:

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns Sudan's 18-month war could "ignite regional instability from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa to the Red Sea". He says the Sudanese people are living through "unspeakable atrocities" and that 750,000 of them are facing "catastrophic food insecurity" and famine conditions in North Darfur displacement sites. We hear from Tom Perriello, the US special envoy for Sudan.

Finally, French President Emmanuel Macron gets a standing ovation at the Moroccan parliament during a state visit, after confirming France's decision to back Moroco on Western Sahara.