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IATA, ACI Launch ‘NEXTT’, New Experience in Travel, Technologies

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By peter oluka

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) in collaboration with Airports Council International (ACI) have launched the New Experience in Travel and Technologies (NEXTT) initiative.

In light of the projected doubling of air travel demand by 2036, new on-ground concepts are, and increasingly will be required to optimize the use of emerging technologies, processes and design developments.

NEXTT aims to help deliver this future by developing a common vision to enhance the on-ground transport experience, guide industry investments and help governments improve the regulatory framework.

“We will not be able to handle the growth or evolving customer expectations with our current processes, installations and ways of doing business. And accommodating growth with ever bigger airports will be increasingly difficult if not impossible.

NEXTT will address these challenges. Working with our airport partners we will explore the important changes in technology and processes to enhance the customer experience. And we will ask some fundamental questions about what really needs to happen at the airport and what can be done off-site,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.

“NEXTT will seek to provide a seamless journey by exploring increased off-site processing options; reducing or even eliminating queues; more efficiently using space and resources through enhanced deployments of artificial intelligence and robotics; and vastly improving data sharing between stakeholders. The goal of NEXTT is finding potential ways to integrate systems and improve operations in the most secure, effective and sustainable manner for the benefit of passengers and the industry,” said Angela Gittens, director general, ACI World.

Specifically, NEXTT will investigate how passengers, cargo, baggage and aircraft move through the complete travel journey with a focus on change in three areas:

Off-airport activities : NEXTT will explore the possibilities of transferring on-site processes off-site, such as security processing and baggage check and drop-off, to streamline the airport experience.

Advanced processing technology: NEXTT will investigate how advance processing technology, such as tracking and identification technology, automation and robotics can improve safety, security, the customer experience and operational efficiency.

Interactive decision-making: NEXTT will promote the better use of data, predictive modelling and artificial intelligence to facilitate real-time decision-making, a key element in improving the passenger experience and optimizing operational efficiency.

IATA and ACI will work with their respective members, and other associations, service providers, engineering firms and manufacturers. Through the collaborative approach NEXTT aims to align the visions for the future passenger and cargo journey.

A number of key airports including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Bangalore International Airport (BLR), Dubai International (DXB), Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Shenzhen Airport (Group) Co., Ltd. (SZX) are already actively involved in a number of projects which explore NEXTT concepts.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

General News

Afreximbank to Fund African Energy Bank with $19bn 

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The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said that the Afreximbank would invest $19 billion to fund the African Energy Bank.

He said the $19 billion would go a long way toward tackling and overcoming energy poverty, driving economic growth, and improving the lives of millions of people.

The minister disclosed this while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Pavilion, hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, U.S with the theme “Africa’s Energy Renaissance: Leveraging Innovation and Natural Gas for Sustainable Development.”

He said that by pooling resources, African countries can invest in large-scale energy projects.

Also, the minister stressed the need for Africa to develop cohesive policies tailored to its unique circumstances, warning that fragmented approaches would be ineffective in addressing the escalating energy deficit.

“This conference is not a jamboree. It is a platform for Nigeria, and by extension, Africa — to showcase its vast potential,” Lokpobiri said.

He underscored the importance of regional collaboration, highlighting the Africa Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) as a strategic entity established to devise shared solutions for the continent’s energy challenges.

According to him, the prevailing global discourse on energy transition is largely influenced by geopolitical considerations.

In response to this challenge, he announced that APPO is in the process of establishing the African Energy Bank to bridge funding gaps and ultimately free the continent from energy poverty.

During a meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart, Lokpobiri advised Ghana to draw lessons from Nigeria’s past experiences in the energy sector, particularly in avoiding early missteps.

In his address, Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Abdullahi, acknowledged Nigeria’s leading role in the region.

He stated that while Ghana is a relatively new player in the oil and gas sector, it is eager to learn from Nigeria’s experiences and reforms, especially in the areas of local content development and climate policy.

“We will continue to consult Nigeria as we build a successful oil and gas industry. The collaboration between both countries remains strong. For his part, PETAN Chairman Wole Ogunsanya emphasised the significance of Nigeria’s presence at OTC.

He said: “This year’s event, under the Nigerian Pavilion, is set to highlight Africa’s growing role in the global energy sector.

“OTC 2025 promises to bring together top-tier industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders at the world’s largest energy event.”


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General News

NIPOST Suspends Cash Transactions Nationwide

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Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has declared July 1, 2025, as the deadline for phasing out cash transactions across all its offices nationwide.

NIPOST Suspends Cash Transactions Nationwide

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Frank Alao,  director of Corporate Communications,NIPOST.

The move is part of a broader reform initiative aimed at transforming NIPOST into a more innovative, efficient, and digitally driven organisation.

The management explained that the reforms are aligned with global best practices and tailored to meet the demands of Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy, as well as the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Alao stated, “We are assuring Nigerians of a revitalised NIPOST that delivers superior service and embraces the future.

“A major highlight of the reform package is the transition to a fully cashless system. Beginning July 1, 2025, all post office counters nationwide will no longer accept cash payments for their services. Customers will be required to use approved electronic channels for all transactions.

“This is a crucial step in our modernization journey, one that ensures safer, faster, and more transparent service delivery.”


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FG Faults AfDB’s Adesina on Nigeria’s GDP Per Capita Figures

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The Presidency has faulted claim of Akinwumi Adesina, president, African Development Bank (AfDB),  on the current Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita figures versus the level it was in 1960 when Nigeria attained independence.

FG Faults AfDB's Adesina on Nigeria's GDP Per Capita Figures

Akinwumi Adesina, president, African Development Bank

The outgoing AfDB President had in a recent viral statement claimed that Nigerians are worse off today than in 1960 when Nigeria’s GDP per capita was $1847..

The AfDB President claimed that in contrast to the level of the GDP per capita at Nigeria independence, the country’s current GDP stands at $824 today, a reflection of the current rampant poverty and low human development in the country.

But in a rebuttal of the claim, the presidency, in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accused the AfDB President of failure to carry out proper research and speaking like a politician in his assertions.

“Adesina spoke like a politician, in the mould of Peter Obi and did not do due diligence before making his unverifiable statement,” the presidency said while faulting the claim of the AfDB President.

While countering the claim of Adesina, the presidency noted in the statement that available data indicated that Nigeria’s GDP was $4.2 billion in 1960, and per capita income for a population of 44.9 million was $93, not even one hundred dollars.

“Our country’s GDP did not rise remarkably until the 1970s, when crude earnings ballooned. In 1970, our GDP rose to $12.55 billion. In 1975, it was $27.7 billion, $64.2 billion in 1980, and $164 billion in 1981. Up until 1980, per capita income did not exceed $880. It rose to $2187 in 1981 and dropped to $1844 in 1982. In 2014, after rebasing, it reached an all-time high of $3,200.

“These facts raise questions about the source of Dr Adesina’s figures,” Onanuga said.

However, the presidency also faulted the AfDB President, a former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture of making inferences on the state of poverty or human development in Nigeria solely based on the GPD per capita numbers. .

“Dr Adesina should know that GDP per capita is not the only criterion used to determine whether people live better lives now than in the past. Indeed, it is a poor tool for assessing living standards.

“Its primary usefulness is in giving us the metrics to compare economic output in a country or between countries.

“GDP masks many activities in a country’s economy. It neither discloses wealth distribution or income inequality nor accounts for the informal economy, which experts have said is enormous. It does not account for subsistence farming or income transfer from one family member to another,” the presidency said.

The Presidency also noted that GDP per capita is not reflective of the fact that Nigerians in 2025 have better access to healthcare, education, and transportation, such as rail and air transport, than in 1960.

“This premise alone suggests why Dr Adesina should not have arrived at his conclusion.

“Compared with 1960, Nigeria today has more primary, secondary, and tertiary schools.

“We have more road networks and more medical facilities, private and public. We have phenomenal access to telephones.

“At Independence, we had 18,724 operational phone lines for a population of about 45 million. Over 200 million Nigerians now enjoy near-universal access to mobile phones and digital services, indicating we are better off today than 65 years ago.”

Furthermore, the presidency noted that Nigerian policymakers know that whatever GDP figure NBS publishes may not capture our economy’s full depth and breadth as it usually excludes the greater part of the informal economy, which some pundits have said may even be more significant than the formal economy.

“This underscores why Dr. Adesina should have considered all aspects of our economy before concluding.”

“When Vodacom, a telecommunications company, considered entering the Nigerian market in 1999 or 2000, its consultants, using the available GDP metrics, advised against it.

“They believed that Nigerians were too poor to afford GSM services. However, MTN and other companies that entered the market later proved them wrong, demonstrating that GDP figures alone do not provide a complete picture of a country’s economic potential or the living standards of its people.

“MTN and other adventurers came later, and they laughed all the way to the bank. More than 20 years later, they are still laughing despite some setbacks in 2023 and 2024. In its first-quarter results this year, MTN declared revenue of N1 trillion and an increase of 8.2 percent in subscriptions, which took the number of its voice and data users to 84 million. Does this MTN experience correlate with a country worse off than in 1960, when we had analogue telephones and the number of lines was fewer than 20,000?

“No objective observer can claim that Nigeria has not made progress since 1960. Today, as we await the NBS’s recalibration of our GDP, we can comfortably say without contradiction that it is at least 50 times, if not 100 times, more than it was at Independence.”

 

 

 


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