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Nigerian Airlines deny fixing base fares and lament a $60 million loss due to bird strikes and flight cancellations

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By Derrick Bangura

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has denied establishing the base rate for economy airline tickets at N50,000 after passengers claimed that the sudden increase in fares suggested collusion on the part of the association.

The operators also claimed that by 2021, they will have lost $60 million (N24 billion) due to bird strikes alone. The funds were utilized to replace their aircraft engines, which had been wrecked by a bird hit.
In addition, they said canceled flights due to lack of night landing facilities at some airports, known as sunset airports, cost them over N20 billion in 2021.

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However, indications showed that air travelers have started shunning the airports as airlines have been recording low passenger traffic due to high fares.

Speaking during a media conference, in Lagos, on Wednesday, the Vice President of AON and Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema said the N50, 000 ticket price had always been in the airlines’ systems in the last five years, adding that airlines only adjust ticket cost based on their operational costs.

Onyema said what the airlines did was to work out the unit cost per seat, which he said determined their basic ticket price.

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Onyema who was representing the President of AON pointed out that the cost of aviation fuel was increased by over 200 percent, with over 100 percent depreciation in the exchange rate in the last two years, while ground handling companies had increased their rates by over 300 percent, yet the cost of air ticket remained below $100.

“People have asked us how we maintain our planes with the fares we charge. In as much as we are rendering services, our business must be sustained. The repair of just one aircraft engine can take everything an airline makes in one month. The airline business is not profitable,” Onyema added.

He said that no airline loves to delay flights but factors beyond the airlines’ control cause flight delays.

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Some of the causes of flight delays he mentioned included bird strikes, airport apron congestion, lack of space for check-in of passengers, poor airport infrastructure, air traffic flow control, bad weather, and unruly behavior of passengers.

Onyema said that bird strike incidents in Nigeria were on the increase despite efforts by the Federal Airports of Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to stem it, thus forcing airlines to ground aircraft that should be operating and losing huge revenue.

He, therefore, called on the concerned authorities to provide airport equipment to help reduce bird strikes in Nigeria.

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The AON said it strongly objected to the multiple designations granted to foreign carriers such as Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines by the federal government.

“Designating foreign airlines to multiple airports in Nigeria impede the growth of domestic airlines and the aviation sector. All foreign airlines put together do not provide 10 percent of jobs provided by the smallest airline in Nigeria.

“Multiple designations granted foreign airlines would lead to job losses and domestic airlines closing shops,” Onyema added.

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Meanwhile, THISDAY investigations have confirmed a low turnout of passengers at the airports since Monday, following the hike in airfares to N50, 000.

This meant that one-way tickets would cost over N50, 000 and might increase to N80, 000 to N90, 000 per ticket.

This was confirmed by some protocol personnel who spoke to THISDAY at the domestic wing of the Lagos airport.

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They revealed that the increase in fares has reduced passenger traffic at the airport.

“You have to know that the minimum ticket you can buy now is N50, 000. In the last two days, I have sold tickets as high as N85, 000; some N75, 000 and some N70, 000. But the traffic is dropping fast. I am sure that if passenger traffic continues to drop, airlines will be forced to bring down their fares,” the source who pleaded to remain anonymous said.
THISDAY met with a passenger who flew from Abuja to Lagos on Wednesday and revealed that the majority of the seats on the plane that took him there were empty.

“I was shocked that there were so many empty seats at that time of day, the first flight from Abuja.” The airlines must recognize that there is no money in this country. The middle class is the one who flies. “If they avoid plane travel, the money bags will be unable to sustain their operations,” he stated.

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A spokeswoman for one of the big airlines confirmed to THISDAY that passenger traffic has decreased and that he was concerned that it would continue to decline.

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NCBN, OISD Seek Strategic Partnership with ASR Africa

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NCBN, OISD Seek Strategic Partnership with ASR Africa

By Matthew Eloyi

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN), Mr. Jamilu Yusuf, has led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), Dr. Ubon Udoh, to explore areas of mutual collaboration.

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Mr. Yusuf, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Organisation for Innovation and Sustainable Development (OISD), commended ASR Africa for its transformational impact in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, social development, and institutional strengthening across Nigeria and the African continent.

He highlighted NCBN’s commitment to promoting institutions and initiatives that drive sustainable development, noting that a strategic communication partnership with ASR Africa would help amplify the organisation’s achievements and further inspire positive change.

Mr. Yusuf also proposed a collaboration between OISD and ASR Africa in areas including education, digital literacy, and economic empowerment, aligning with both organisations’ shared vision for inclusive growth and capacity building.

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In response, Dr. Udoh welcomed the partnership proposals, expressing ASR Africa’s readiness to collaborate with NCBN on strategic communication initiatives. He also affirmed the initiative’s interest in working with OISD on education empowerment programmes.

Dr. Udoh further used the occasion to congratulate the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on his recent election as the Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), describing the achievement as a testament to Nigeria’s growing influence in global customs administration.

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Akpabio Hails Okpebholo’s Supreme Court Victory, Calls It Triumph of Democracy

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Akpabio

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo on his affirmation as the duly elected governor of Edo State by the Supreme Court, describing the ruling as a “triumph of democracy and the will of the people.”

Akpabio, in a statement personally signed and released on Friday in Abuja, applauded the apex court’s decision, saying it validated the mandate freely given to Okpebholo in the September 2024 gubernatorial election.

“What the apex court in the land has done is to affirm the will and wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people of Edo State. It shows that the election was transparent, free and fair,” Akpabio stated.

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He added that, “The declaration by the Supreme Court in favour of Sen. Okpebholo against Mr Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has proven that elections are won at the ballot and by people who have identified with the grassroots.”

The Senate President said the judgment reaffirms the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.

“This judgment has again reaffirmed the fact that democracy is at play and the people of Edo have wholeheartedly embraced the All Progressives Congress (APC) and popularly elected their preferred choice of Senator Okpebholo as their governor,” he said.

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According to Akpabio, the ruling not only confirms Okpebholo’s mandate but also “paves the way for him to continue delivering exceptional service to the good people of Edo.”

He praised the governor’s performance in the past seven months, expressing confidence in his capacity to deliver more during his four-year tenure.

“My distinguished brother, His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo, on behalf of my family and constituents, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I extend my warmest congratulations to you and the wonderful people of Edo on this landmark victory at the Supreme Court.

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“I wish you success and I assure you of the Senate’s support and collaboration in ensuring the state’s progress and development.

“Congratulations once again, Gov Okpebholo. I look forward to a robust working relationship with you,” Akpabio added.

In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Mohammed Garba dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, for lacking merit.

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The apex court upheld the earlier rulings of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, both of which declared Okpebholo of the APC as the valid winner of the election.

The court ruled that the appellant failed to provide credible and admissible evidence to support claims of electoral malpractice, including over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

It further held that the PDP candidate failed to call relevant witnesses to back up some of the evidence he tendered, particularly those involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

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Some of the documents presented, the court noted, were simply “dumped” on the tribunal without demonstrating the alleged irregularities in 432 of the 4,519 polling units across the state.

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Education

NELFUND Begins Upkeep Payments to Over 3,600 Students After Bank Detail Update

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NELFUND Disburses Over N20bn in Student Loans, Assures Transparency

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has commenced the disbursement of upkeep payments to students who successfully updated their bank account details from digital wallets to commercial bank accounts.

This was announced in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the Director of Strategic Communications of the Fund, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi.

Oluwatuyi described the development as a significant breakthrough in addressing earlier disbursement delays.

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“Over 3,600 students, who previously registered with digital-only banking platforms, have now successfully received their backlog of upkeep payments after updating their details to conventional commercial bank accounts on the NELFUND portal,” she stated.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all affected students during this period. Your resilience and cooperation have made this progress possible,” she added.

The NELFUND spokesperson advised students who have yet to update their bank details to raise a support ticket via the official NELFUND portal to request access for the update.

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She further urged affected students to report through the IT office of their respective institutions, which would compile and forward all related cases to NELFUND for prompt resolution.

“NELFUND remains committed to ensuring that no eligible student is left behind. This resolution process is part of our broader effort to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and student-centered delivery of our support services,” she said.

Oluwatuyi encouraged students to continue engaging only through official NELFUND channels and to assist their peers who may need help navigating the update process.

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She also provided contact options for inquiries, stating that the fund can be reached via email at info@nelf.gov.ng or through its official social media handles: X (formerly Twitter) @nelfund; Instagram @nelfund; and Facebook & LinkedIn: Nigerian Education Loan Fund – NELFUND.

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