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Arik, CFM Partner to Develop Indigenous Skills

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Arik Air, West Africa’ biggest carrier, and CFM International, World renowned aircraft engine manufacturer, have kick-started discussion on the training of Nigerians on aircraft engine maintenance and repairs.

This is an invaluable contribution of Arik Air to government’s local content development policy and as discussion progresses, it is expected that the airline would select intelligent, bright and young Nigerians that would be trained by CFM, which is the manufacturer of Arik Air Boeing 737 New Generation (NG) engines.

The discussion took firm ground on Monday when Jean-Paul Ebanga, president of CFM visited the headquarters of Arik Air at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to affirm the importance of the airline to the company and also show commitment to the planned partnership.

Ebanga who toured Arik Air’s facilities at its headquarters said that he was impressed by the progress the airline has recorded in just eight years of its commercial operations, adding that Arik would soon be one of the leading airlines in Africa.

“What the Chairman of Arik Air, Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide is doing right now is to do, not to talk. He is bringing the needed change in air transport in Nigeria. In three to four years from now Africa will be the most populated continent with growing middle class. We have CFM engines in many aircraft operating in Africa. So we grow with Africa’s economy as the middle class becomes empowered by the on-going economic growth. I think the population of CFM engines in Africa is the biggest one. I think we have about 900 engines flying all over Africa and the engines are behaving very well,” Ebanga said.

The President of CFM also observed that for African airlines to be competitive they have to operate new and modern equipment as Arik Air is doing, engage the services of skilled manpower and operate modern system that would dovetail with operators in other parts of the world because every airline in the world is competing at the same level because all have access to the same market.

“I think one of the challenges of Africa is that Africa is now part of the global economy and African airlines are competing with all the other airlines in the world. I think African airlines will have to keep up with the skills, organisational efficiency to be able to compare with the best airlines in the world. This is what is already in progress. Arik is one of such airlines in Africa. They are using the top notch aircraft like other companies in the world. Of course, there are challenges but the leaders of these airlines in Africa understand those challenges,” the CFM President said.

Arumemi-Ikhide, chairman of Arik Air, explained that the airline and CFM International talked about partnership, the development of indigenous manpower and technical support of the company to the airline.

“We set up two working groups made up of people from their side and our side and we are looking at issues of Harmattan on our engines and you know we are going to build MRO. They are going to let us know what role they will play there. We are going to start a lot of work locally but they must have to be of international standard. Nigerians are well trained. We have skilled people all over the world. Like he said, it is one step after the other but government must support. Without government’s support, we cannot do anything,” he said.

Arik Air Chairman also said CFM engines are good because the people are very experienced and the engines are very efficient.

“They are very safe. We have not experienced any flame out or catastrophe. They are used all over the world and they are very efficient. In fact, we are satisfied with their engine performance in Nigeria. We use 26 of their engines on our 13 Boeing 737 airplanes and we also have spares. We have a long relationship with them. We found their engines very satisfactory and we have placed more orders with Boeing for the Boeing Max. So in a couple of years we are going to have about 30 aircraft and 60 engines,” Arumemi-Ikhide said.

 


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Nigeria Sends Egusi, Others to Space @ NASA’s Crew-11 Mission Launch

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National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) said that Nigeria participated National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA’s) Crew-11 Mission, which launched yesterday from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the United States.

Nigeria Sends Egusi, Others to Space @ NASA’s Crew-11 Mission Launch

According to NASRDA, the NASA’s Crew-11 Mission had on board six indigenous Nigerian crop seeds: melon (otherwise Egusi), okra, cowpea, guinea corn (sorghum), amaranth and maize.

NASRDA said that the seeds were chosen for their nutritional and agricultural significance.

NASA  is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States’s civil space program, aeronautics research and space research.

The agency said, “The mission, which features the World Seeds Payload, is a pioneering international agricultural experiment led by Jaguar Space, with contributions from 11 countries, including Nigeria.

“The seeds will be studied aboard the International Space Station, ISS, under microgravity conditions to explore their behaviour, resilience, and potential in future space-based farming, critical research aimed at addressing climate resilience, global food security, and agricultural innovation beyond Earth.

“Representing Nigeria at the launch is Olayinka Fagbemiro, assistant director, nternational Cooperation, NASRDA, and Linkages and project lead on the initiative.

“She oversaw every stage of Nigeria’s participation, from seed selection to logistics and formal international engagement.

“This is our first biological payload aboard a crewed NASA mission to the ISS.

“It not only validates years of local research on plant life in simulated space environments but also underscores NASRDA’s growing role in global scientific collaboration. This mission exemplifies inclusive, culturally grounded space research, and highlights the leadership role that emerging space nations such as Nigeria can play in shaping humanity’s future beyond Earth.”

yond Earth.”


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AfDB Approves $46m to Transform Healthcare in Sokoto State

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The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a $46 million loan to finance the Sokoto State Health Infrastructure Project, a transformative initiative designed to enhance healthcare access and quality in Nigeria’s Sokoto State.

The project addresses critical health system gaps in Sokoto, where key indicators reflect a critical need for intervention. Only one in 20 children is fully vaccinated, while infant mortality stands at 104 deaths per 1,000 live births, nearly double Nigeria’s national average of 63.

Less than 14 percent of health facilities in the state have functional infrastructure, and there is just one doctor for every 8,285 people — far below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 1:1,000.

The Bank’s financing will support the delivery of climate-smart health infrastructure across three levels of care. These include the construction and equipping of a 1,000-bed teaching hospital complex; three zonal hospitals with a combined capacity of 450 beds; and six primary healthcare canters strategically located to serve rural communities.

The project also includes the rehabilitation of health training institutions and the development of a modern medical warehouse to strengthen pharmaceutical supply chains.

“This investment illustrates our commitment to continue working with the Government to fill critical infrastructure gaps in Nigeria’s health system while building resilient, climate-adapted healthcare facilities,” said Abdul Kamara, director general of the African Development Bank’s Nigeria Office. “By strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Sokoto State, we are building hope and creating pathways to better health outcomes for millions of Nigerians.”

Aligned with Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021-2025) and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, the project is expected to generate approximately 2,500 jobs, with 60 percent of opportunities targeting youth and 30 percent women.

In addition, the project will integrate electronic health infrastructure and renewable energy systems, ensuring sustainable, energy-efficient operations while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Expanded capacity in local the medical and nursing schools will create 700 new training slots annually, helping to address the region’s acute shortage of skilled health professionals.

The initiative builds on the Bank’s successful track record in Nigeria’s health sector, where it has financed four health infrastructure projects totaling $117.68 million. It will leverage strategic partnerships with the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, USAID, and other development actors to maximize impact and ensure comprehensive health system strengthening.

The African Development Bank Group remains committed to enhancing the quality of life for Africa’s people through targeted investments in resilient health infrastructure that drive inclusive growth and sustainable development across the continent.


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NITDA DG says Nigeria’s Digital Economy Will Empower Citizens, Bridge Divides, and Drive Unity

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Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening digital literacy, accelerating innovation, and expanding technology infrastructure as key drivers of inclusive national development.

Inuwa said this while delivering an address at the 2-Day Interactive Session on Government–Citizens Engagement, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation at the iconic Arewa House in Kaduna.

Themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government Engagement for National Unity,” the forum convened high-level stakeholders in government, civil society, academia, and policymakers to reflect on the progress of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the area of governance delivery and citizen inclusion.

Speaking at the event, Inuwa emphasised that digital transformation is not only central to achieving the eight priority areas outlined by President Tinubu, but also foundational to uniting the country through equitable access to opportunities.

He described the digital economy as a cross-cutting enabler capable of enhancing productivity across all sectors, from agriculture and education to healthcare and financial services.

According to him, “Digital technology is not a vertical sector, it is pervasive and foundational. It powers everything else and provides a framework for inclusive growth.”

The NITDA boss outlined the Agency’s strategic focus around three key pillars: human capital development, digital infrastructure, and innovation-driven entrepreneurship, noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda had brought renewed vision and energy to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), enabling them to act in concert and foster stronger trust between government and the private sector.

On human capital, he noted that Nigeria’s greatest resource is its people, and developing digital skills at scale is crucial to unlocking that potential. Through initiatives such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme and the Digital Literacy for All campaign, NITDA has trained over 350,000 individuals in Northern Nigeria since 2023. He explained that the goal is to ensure that by 2027, more than 70 percent Nigerians would have attained basic digital literacy.

To achieve this, Inuwa said NITDA is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Education to embed digital skills into the formal education system from kindergarten to tertiary level. He added that partnerships with the National Universities Commission (NUC) are ongoing to ensure digital literacy becomes part of the general studies curriculum across Nigerian universities.

In addition, NITDA is collaborating with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train of corps members annually, who in turn serve as digital literacy champions, taking technology skills into rural communities and informal sectors.

Highlighting infrastructure as another critical area, Inuwa announced that the Federal Government had approved the deployment of 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables across the country to expand broadband penetration.

He also stated that three digital centres are currently being built in each state to ensure that underserved and unserved communities can participate meaningfully in the digital economy. Northern Nigeria, with its wide coverage and developmental needs, is expected to benefit immensely from this rollout. So far, 13 IT Community Centres, 101 Digital Economy e-learning Centres and One Cybersecurity Research Centre were established in the last two years.

He also disclosed that the conducive investment climate fostered by President Tinubu’s reforms has sparked renewed interest from global technology companies, with tech giants such as Google and Microsoft bringing significant investments in Nigeria.

Inuwa announced that Nigeria would host two major global technology events in the coming months, GITEX Nigeria in September and the United Nations’ ICT for Governance (ICEGOV) Summit in November—both of which are expected to attract global innovators and investors.

 


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