News
FG to Demolish Privately-owned Hangars to Expand New Terminal at MMIA
Senator Hadi Sirika, minister of Aviation, has reiterated his determination to demolish two private terminal facilities – Evergreen Apple Nigeria and Dominion Hangar – in the next few weeks to create space for the expansion of the apron of the new international terminal at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
The state-of-the-art terminal was unveiled early last year, but since then it has not been fully utilised due to limited aircraft maneuvering space because of the small apron that cannot accommodate wide-body aircraft like Boeing B777 and others.
The minister made this known in Lagos at the weekend at the unveiling of new fire fighting vehicles, adding that it was necessary that the apron of the new terminal was expanded so that the facility would be fully utilised.
He noted that the practice of moving passengers to the old terminal after checking them in at the new facility was cumbersome and time consuming.
“We are not operating Lagos airport at full capacity. We have some obstructions that will be removed within the next one or two weeks to expand the apron so that Lagos will have full use 100 per cent of the new terminal.
“We are going to demolish Dominion Hangar and Evergreen Apple Nigeria hangar to make way for the new apron and that would be in a few weeks,” he said.
On the acquisition of new fire tenders, Sirika said the absence of fire cover at any aerod airport or inadequate fire cover was enough to either shutdown or downgrade the facility.
He recalled that the Sosoliso crash, which took place at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa on December 10, 2005, and killed 108 out of 110 on board, was tragically devastating because the fire could have been put off if there were adequate fire-fighting vehicles.
He remembered the Loyola Jesuit students who died in the crash and said lack of fire cover guaranteed the death of the children who even survived the crash because they were later roasted alive by the fire.
The federal government acquired 10 Volkan Lion 6×6 fire fighting vehicles, which were delivered to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aeronautical Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) worth over N12 billion.
According to the Minister, the importance of the safety equipment could not be emphasised enough because they were key to safety, security and efficient take off and landinging of flights.
“To non- aviators and onlookers, you see fire-fighting equipment, but the importance and relevance is not brought onto focus, especially for people watching from afar whose only concern is to board aircraft and use air conditioned terminals.
“Well for us, that is important too, but most important is to keep you safe. You all remember our children that left Abuja for Port Harcourt in the Sosoliso crash? We couldn’t save those children because even though the plane landed, crashed; they were still alive but the airport did not have adequate fire cover to save those ones and parents were seeing their children burnt alive, children they sent to school. That is so sad.
“For 15 years, no fire tender has been supplied to us, we just cannibalise two or three to make one. And the absence of fire cover is the number one reason to shut down airports and even if you dont have enough, you downgrade the airport to a lower category,” he said
Speaking earlier, in his opening remark, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, managing director of FAAN, said the 10 super-structure, ultra-modern major firefighting vehicles were to be deployed to MMA Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano (MAKIA); disclosing that FAAN was processing additional vehicles for Port-Harcourt and Enugu airports.
Giving a breakdown of the capabilities of the equipment, Yadudu said,” Each vehicle not only carries 14,000 litres of water; 1,700 litres of foam and 250kg powder capacity; it also monitors the discharge rate of between 6,000Litres to 10,000 Litres per minute. Acceleration rate is from 0 to 80km/hr in 30 seconds.
“The truck can discharge while in motion (professional pump and roll operation) and is equipped with under chassis nozzles to tackle running fuel fire. These vehicles would be deployed to MMA Lagos, NAIA Abuja and MAKIA Kano while we are also processing for additional vehicles for Port-Harcourt and Enugu.”
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is pleased to announce the inaugural meeting of the Startup Consultative Forum, scheduled for Monday April 28, 2025 This milestone event marks a significant step in deepening stakeholder engagement within Nigeria’s growing startup ecosystem.
The Forum will serve as an interactive platform for startup founders, innovators, ecosystem enablers, and intermediaries to actively shape national policies that foster growth, attract investment, and drive digital innovation.
Convened under the framework of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA), this initiative reflects the government’s commitment to making startups not just stakeholders but key contributors in building an enabling environment for innovation.
The meeting will emphasize collaborative dialogue, with a primary focus on nominating and selecting representatives for the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Startup Council)—Nigeria’s highest advisory body for the startup ecosystem. Decisions from this Forum will lay the foundation for inclusive policy development, amplifying the voices of Nigeria’s tech and innovation community.
NITDA invites all Labelled Startups, Verified Entrepreneurial and Innovation Support Organisations, Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, and other relevant stakeholders to join the Forum and actively participate in the nomination and voting process.
Join us in shaping the future of digital innovation in Nigeria. Together, we can build a thriving ecosystem that supports and celebrates the pioneering spirit of Nigerian startups.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised downward its economic growth forecast for Nigeria in 2025 to 3.0%, a 0.2 percentage point cut from its earlier projection of 3.2%.
The downgrade is attributed to a decline in global crude oil prices, which remain a significant driver of Nigeria’s economy.
The updated figures were published in the IMF’s April 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, released in Washington, DC, during the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank.
The report outlines global and regional economic trends, highlighting continued vulnerability among oil-dependent economies.
According to the IMF, growth across sub-Saharan Africa is also expected to experience a modest decline, with projections falling from 4.0% in 2024 to 3.8% in 2025. However, a slight recovery is anticipated in 2026, with growth forecasted at 4.2%.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, was singled out in the report as among the major economies affected by falling oil prices. The IMF noted that the country’s 2026 growth forecast has also been revised downward by 0.3 percentage points.
The IMF further reported similar economic challenges in other African countries. In South Africa, growth projections were adjusted downward by 0.5 percentage point for 2025 and 0.3 percentage point for 2026.
These revisions reflect weakening economic momentum following a lacklustre 2024, growing uncertainty, a rise in protectionist economic policies, and the impact of a broader global slowdown.
In a more severe adjustment, the IMF slashed South Sudan’s 2025 economic growth forecast by a staggering 31.5 percentage points.
The sharp decline is linked to delays in the resumption of oil production after a major pipeline sustained damage, significantly impacting the country’s revenue and export capacity.
The IMF’s outlook underscores the fragility of economies heavily reliant on natural resources and the ongoing risks posed by global market volatility.
Crime syndicates have made billions scamming victims in Asia and are now expanding their operations to Africa, Europe, South America and further, according to a United Nations report on Monday.
The UN said Chinese and Southeast Asian gangs were targeting victims through investment, cryptocurrency, romance and other scams.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), cyberscams are now a sophisticated global industry, featuring sprawling compounds housing tens of thousands of mostly trafficked workers who are forced to con other people online.
“It spreads like a cancer,” said Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC Acting Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific said. “Authorities treat it in one area, but the roots never disappear; they simply migrate.”
While the activity had largely been focused on the border areas in Myanmar, a country torn by civil war, and dubious “special economic zones” set up in Cambodia and Laos, UNODC reported networks are expanding their operations to South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and some Pacific islands.
“This reflects both a natural expansion as the industry grows and seeks new ways and places to do business, but also a hedging against future risks should disruption continue and intensify in Southeast Asia,” Hofmann added.
Countries in east and southeast Asia lost an estimated $37 billion (€32.5 billion) to cyber fraud in 2023, while the United States reported more than $5.6 billion (€4.9 billion) in losses the UNODC report said.
There were also raids in Cambodia, but they prompted the crime syndicates to move to “more remote locations” and border areas.
Cambodian government spokesman Pen Bona said the country is among the victims of the cyberfraud industry and is committed to fighting it.
According to Bona, the government has established an ad-hoc commission chaired by Prime Minister Hun Manet which seeks to boost law enforcement and legal tools while working with international partners and the UN.
UNODC urged the international community to act, saying it was at a “critical inflection point.”
According to the UN, staying aside would have “unprecedented consequences for Southeast Asia that reverberate globally.”
CITN Tasks New Tax Professionals to Shape Fiscal Policies for Efficient Tax System
QNET Reaffirms Integrity: Dissociates from Mighty Infinity Millionaire Ltd in Nigeria
FG to Introduce New Tax Credit Scheme to Replace Pioneer Status Incentive
NITDA Fixes Date for Inaugural Meeting of the Startup Consultative Forum
OpenAI Eyes Chrome Acquisition if Google is Forced to Sell
Telecom2 days agoDigital Transformation Remains Africa’s Gateway to Economic Advancement – Adumike
Telecom2 days agoPAFON 2.0: Experts Discuss Pathways to Boost Financial Inclusion in Nigeria
General News2 days agoEFCC Clarifies SCUML Certificate Misuse amid CBEX Ponzi Scheme Scandal
E-Financial2 days agoCBN, NGX Group Defend Economic Reforms at Nasdaq
Telecom1 day agoMTN Nigeria Faces Class Action Lawsuit over Alleged Data Mismanagement
Telecom1 day agoNigeria Hits 1 Terabit Internet Traffic Milestone
General News1 day agoFG to Introduce New Tax Credit Scheme to Replace Pioneer Status Incentive
E-Financial1 day agoFCMB Capital Markets Leads ₦11.85bn GLNG Bond for LNG Plant Expansion