Aviation

Revenue drops by 40% Focus on economic regulation, Senate tells agency   As part of shoring up its revenue base that had depleted by over 40 per cent occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may be tinkering of jerking up fees for the all important Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from ‘paltry’ $500. The AOC is a license awarded to any airline desiring to start operation after passing all the rigorous test,…

Federal Ministry of Aviation in conjunction with International Partners for Aviation Development, Innovation and Sustainability (iPADIS) is organizing a two-day high level ministerial meeting on enhancing air transport connectivity and growth in West Africa. The virtual/online ministerial meeting is for member states policy makers, air transport experts, aviation professionals and other stakeholders in the sub-region. The high level ministerial meeting is aimed at retooling and repositioning aviation sector within the region to contend with present…

On Friday, the United States Consulate General in Lagos unveiled its newly expanded and renovated consular pavilion that seeks to improve the experience that visa applicants and American citizens in Nigeria receive. Speaking during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, United States Consul General Claire Pierangelo noted that the renovated consular pavilion will provide a new safe space for visa applicants to socially distance while waiting for their appointment. She said the Consulate is working hard to reschedule…

A $30 million African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM) loan granted to Afrijet Airline for the failed acquisition of four airplanes and setting up of a world-class airline have become a subject of litigation between the airline, Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Dana Airline. Consequently, the Nigerian Police have invited the Managing Director of Dana, Mr. Hathiramani Jacky Ramesh for questioning. The letter from the Nigeria Police dated March 1, 2021, sighted by Aviation Metric…

African airlines and indeed global airlines are yet to get out of the woods as the continent traffic dropped 66.1% in January, which was a modest improvement compared to a 68.8% decline recorded in December versus a year ago. January capacity contracted 54.2% versus January 2019 and load factor fell 18.4 percentage points to 52.3% according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which announced that passenger traffic fell in January 2021, both compared to…

The new travel guidelines recently introduced by the United Kingdom to curtail the spread of deadly COVID-19 pandemic in the UK may have come late but the effect of the new rule would help to drastically reduce the scourge. The two or multiple tests now required for people entering the UK is one that Nigerian government had long handed down to people coming into Nigeria because it wanted to ensure it protects the people. Before…

Lament poor workers’ condition, insurance scheme, others The aviation unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Union (NUATE) , Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) have given the management of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) 48 hours to accede to its demands or risk industrial action. Failure to address the demands, the…

Firm to pay state N100m annual royalty Gets five years tax exemption The Delta State Government has entered into a 30 year concession agreement with FIDC-Menzies, the major concessionaire’s Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which has been incorporated with the name, Asaba Airport Company Limited to manage the Asaba International Airport. The airport prides itself as the first privatized aerodrome in Nigeria and coming at a time there is a deafening clamour for private sector intervention…

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Monday flagged off the Oil and Gas Search, Rescue and Surveillance (SeRAS) Command and Control Centre in Lagos to improve safety and operational efficiency across the industry. As a result, Omni-Blu Aviation Limited, an indigenous aviation company, has partnered with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to provide Search, Rescue and Surveillance, (SeRAS) operations to oil firms across the country. Mr Sarki Auwalu, Director, DPR who flagged off the…

More countries are giving approval to one of Boeing’s best selling aircraft, B737 MAX as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced the lifting of ban on Boeing 737 Max aircraft and has been certified to operate in Nigeria’s airspace. The airplane type was grounded and prevented from operating in the nation’s airspace following the two accident involving the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. This approval is effective 12th February, 2021. Consequent upon the two…