General News
Oduah Inspects MMIA Project Sites, Upbeat on National Carriers
Princess Stella Oduah, minister of Aviation said she is delighted with the pace of work at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
She expressed her satisfaction while on an inspection tour of facilities at the airport on recently
Facilities inspected include the Extended Departure and Arrival Halls, new in-bound baggage reclaim carousels, on-going construction work on “Fingers” as well as Transit Facilities.
Similarly, the Minister said that the Ministry is focused as regards the proposed national carrier and shall make public pronouncement on the project soon.
Briefing newsmen immediately after inspecting the fingers, particularly on the date the projects will be open to public use, Oduah, “The key word is that we are going to Commission the projects very soon; we want to be able to facilitate the usage of these facilities by first quarter of next year (2014). But what is very key is that passenger traveling experience will be very different. It will be the way it should be; providing them comfort, security and most importantly, it will increase the capacity. There will be ample space for smart operations at the areas. By this strategy, the safety and security of the passengers is being enhanced.
“Thus, Nigerians should expect the aviation industry that was promised to them; an industry that will be catalyst for national development. Essentially, this will be an industry that has been repositioned to create jobs, hubs and skills for the people”.
For other remodeling projects on-going in other airports across the country, she said, “Airport projects are always work in progress. However, ours is targeted at between first and second quarter of next year, we wouldn’t see the massive work on-going. We should be commissioning and using them. Like the finger we just visited, we are changing all the bridges; by the second quarter of next year we should see different bridges. I am sure; most people do not know we have such space upstairs at the MMIA. Ours is to maximize the capacity that has not been tapped into these years.
“Airports like Owerri, Sokoto, Akure, Yola and several others are ready. We are just making sure that is there are T’s to cross or I’s to dot we do so before commissioning them.
“By January we shall start commissioning them, but we allowed passengers to use them because they deserve the best”.
For the national carrier, she added that the Federal Government ought to have pronounced the new national carrier, but it has been delayed due to few challenges.
“We are trying to rectify them. We shall be pronouncing the new national carrier soon, however, the important thing is that we want to give Nigerians the national carrier that we all aspire to have; such that will be a true representation of all of us; such that will be professionally and efficiently managed.
Also, Oduah clarified issues surrounding the on-going power projects at the airport, she said that the first project has commenced, even as the Ministry hopes to mobilize the contractor for the second project.
Oduah, since assuming duties as minister of Aviation, has always reiterated her quest to readdress quagmires she inherited in an industry poorly developed, steeped in crises with threat of imminent collapse.
The absence of a consistent and well articulated national aviation policy, excessive bureaucracy and bad management was its waterloo.
She, therefore, navigated through the cacophony of several policies and came up with the Aviation Road map.
The Road-map provided the institutional framework for the provision of infrastructure, monitoring and control of the industry.
The involvement of aviation stakeholders in producing the policy predictably resulted in unanimous adoption, which has cumulated in several projects completed and on-going in the industry.
Meanwhile, the extended Departures Halls feature 5 nos state –of-the-art screening machines and 2 nos Body Scanner at each of the wings in addition 30 nos new immigration counters.
A distinguishing feature of the new screening machines is the ability to detect explosive materials and potential threat items real time with the lowest rate of false alarm.
The introduction of 30 nos new immigration counters as against the previous 9 nos promises to take the face of facilitation in MMA to another level.
Also inspected were the newly installed in-bound baggages reclaim carousels at each of the Arrivals Halls.
The high- speed carousels are smooter, easier – to- maintain and more resistant to luggage jams than their decades – old predecessors.
This translates into accelerated baggage retrieval, reduced waiting – time and improved travel experience.
Highlight of the visit was the inspection of the on-going construction of 2 new additional fingers as well as new Transit Facilities.
The visit afforded journalists the opportunity to appreciate, first hand, the cause of some leakages experienced at the Terminal some time ago.
Briefing the Minister, the Director of Maintenance and Engineering & Engineer Femi Ogunode, acting managing director of FAAN, explained that the construction work on the new Fingers affected the sealant on the existing Terrance on which the Fingers are built, resulting in dripping of water in some sections of the Terminal.
He said measures have been put in place to check the so-called leakages, promising that services levels in the airport will continue to be tailored to passengers needs.
The two new additional Fingers located on the 2nd level of the Terminal building and each measuring 3,074 sq m, and seating atop the existing Fingers represent a major capacity increase with all the attendant benefits.
Hitherto, arriving and departing passengers made common use of the Fingers, although with a glass partition separating them. With the new development, each of the two new Fingers will be exclusively for Departures while the existing ones will be dedicated to Arrivals, thus enhancing safety, security, and facilitation.
The Transit Facility, located on the 3rd floor of the Terminal building, features 9 standard lounge, and 20 hotel rooms for transiting passengers’ Transit Facility is a major requirement for a hub operations. With this development, MMA is set for a sub –regional hub status in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s vision.
Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have pledged to deepen collaboration in key national development areas, including geospatial data infrastructure, satellite technology, communication sector regulation, and population census operations.
This was the outcome of a high-level meeting held on Tuesday at the headquarters of OSGOF in Abuja, where Abudulganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, surveyor General of the Federation, received Dr. Matthew Adepoju, director general of NASRDA, and his management team.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Henry David, head, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, titled ‘SGOF Pledges To Support NASRDA For Optimal Performance.’
According to the statement, the discussions at the meeting focused on the impact of upstream and downstream operations in Nigeria’s communication sector, challenges of mast proliferation near residential areas, and the broader implications for public health. Both agencies expressed concern over the unregulated installation of communication infrastructure and its potential link to rising cancer rates.
“The downstream sector of communication companies involves placing signal-receiving stations within living communities, which poses significant health risks due to radiation,” the two agencies said in a joint position. “Co-location of infrastructure, as practised in developed countries like the UK and US, should be adopted here to reduce radiation exposure.”
The two agencies called for stronger regulation of telecommunication operators, noting that television and radio signal disruptions—commonplace in Nigeria—are largely due to a lack of oversight, a situation that does not persist in countries with stringent telecom regulations.
Addressing issues of national data management, the agencies stressed the critical need for collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) in the upcoming national census. “Without the input of NASRDA and OSGOF, the census will remain speculative,” they jointly noted.
On geospatial data, both parties resolved to work together to strengthen the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure, which they described as vital for national planning and development.
In his remarks, Surveyor General Adebomehin expressed firm support for NASRDA’s initiatives. “I will defend NASRDA to the best of my ability. If you need software engineers, we have capable hands here,” he said. “Keep encouraging your staff. Behind every successful organisation in the world, you will find Nigerians. We are in full support of your mission.”
Adebomehin urged NASRDA to engage the Presidency directly in acquiring high-precision satellite systems. “You need a satellite that can deliver accuracy of less than 10 centimetres,” he said. “This will reduce the government’s losses from MDAs sourcing satellite services externally.”
Duniya Magaji Joseph, director of Geodesy at OSGOF, called for improved inter-agency collaboration, especially with the military. “Anytime the military collaborates with OSGOF, the outcome is always better,” he said. “We need to overcome the tendency to work in silos driven by funding concerns and instead focus on joint advantages.”
NASRDA’s DG, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, said his agency is working with the Ministry of Steel Development on mineral exploration projects, including the identification of new sites for raw materials such as steel and limestone. He stressed the importance of OSGOF’s technical input in these initiatives.
“We’ve agreed to support the Ministry of Steel Development in identifying new resource locations,” Adepoju said. “But I don’t want NASRDA to go it alone. We want OSGOF fully involved so that roles are clearly defined, and the synergy is more impactful.”
To mark the visit, NASRDA presented symbolic gifts, including a plaque and a vest, to the Surveyor General in appreciation of OSGOF’s commitment to partnership.
The meeting, held in Abuja, concluded with both agencies reaffirming their shared mandate to support national development through technology, data integration, and inter-agency cooperation.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned investors that Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX), operating under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, also known as Smart Treasure/Super Technology, remains banned in Nigeria, insisting that it has not been registered by the commission.
SEC’s position followed reports that traders on the controversial CBEX platform are now back and able to access their accounts and trade, with renewed assurance after the digital platform abruptly shut down in April, thereby trapping investors’ funds in excess of N1 trillion.
In a public notice issued on Wednesday, SEC advised the public to refrain from patronising or transacting any investment-related business with CBEX.
However, the commission was silent on what steps it would take against the trading platform and its promoters, having earlier declared that CBEX was not registered or authorised by it to embark on offer investment-related services to the Nigerian public.
The notice read: “The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to media reports indicating that CBEX (Crypto Bridge Exchange), operating under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, also known as Smart Treasure/Super Technology, has resumed operations across Nigeria.
“According to the reports, CBEX promoters are demanding $200 from their subscribers with balances above $1,000, and $100 from those with less than $1,000 balances before withdrawals can be processed.”
The commission stated unequivocally that neither CBEX nor ST Technologies International Ltd (or Smart Treasure/Super Technology) is registered with it or authorized to offer investment-related services to the Nigerian public.
“As a matter of fact, enforcement action has already been initiated against CBEX and its promoters following its previous unauthorized investment activities and the commission is collaborating with relevant law enforcement agencies to properly investigate CBEX/ST Technologies International Ltd and will take appropriate actions in line with the provisions of the Investments and Securities Act 2025.
“The Nigerian public is accordingly advised to refrain from patronising or transacting with CBEX /ST Technologies International Ltd (Smart Treasure or Super Technology) as they risk losing their funds,” it said.
It, therefore, advised the public to verify the registration status of investment platforms via the commission’s dedicated portal before transacting, adding that it remains committed to protecting investors and maintaining market integrity.
Union Bank of Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment through its alpher initiative by sponsoring the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre (WYEDC) Cohort 2 Programme, which has graduated 125 entrepreneurs who have benefited from firsthand entrepreneurship training and business grants.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria account for more than 50% of industrial employment and contribute approximately 48% to the country’s GDP.
This makes entrepreneurship one of the economy’s building blocks and is a testament to Union Bank’s unwavering dedication to national development in partnership with NBCC.
In her welcome speech, the Director General of NBCC, Dr. Ebere Njoku, reiterated NBCC’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, and youth empowerment, citing these as catalysts for economic development and sustainability.
She appreciated the sponsors, partners and facilitators who devoted their resources and time to upskilling the participants.
The entrepreneurship initiative stemmed from the visionary goal of Mr. Ray Atelly, President and Chairman of the Council, NBCC, FRPA, to provide entrepreneurship and grant opportunities to Nigerian women and youths.
Mr. Atelly told the graduates in his speech, “This is your chance, make sure you take it. Don’t let any obstacle stop you because there will be many; if you let it stop you, your dreams are not strong enough. You need to keep pushing, someday you will sit at the top of a conglomerate and people will aspire to be like you.”
Also in attendance was the NBCC’s Patron, Senator Akin Odunsi, FRPA, who congratulated the Cohort 2 graduates.
He said, “I encourage all of you not to take the training you have received for granted. Use it as a landmark opportunity to be a beacon of hope to others who look up to you.”
He also urged the Chamber to provide internship opportunities after the six-month entrepreneurship training in organisations for the incoming Cohort 3 and beyond.
He added that the internship experience will give trainees the unique chance to practice what they learned and, in return, benefit the organisations from their acquired skills.
The goodwill message at the graduation ceremony was delivered on behalf of Mrs. Yetunde Oni, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Nigeria, by Mrs. Vivian Imoh-Ita, the Bank’s Head of Retail and SME Business, who appreciated NBCC for the life-transforming training they are providing to the youth and women entrepreneurs.
She further stated, “As a Bank, we understand that when we invest in women and youth entrepreneurs, we are investing in the most powerful catalysts of economic transformation. Through the Bank’s alpher initiative, we have enabled success for women-led businesses. In a volatile economy like Nigeria, the challenges facing entrepreneurs are dynamic and significant. As a Bank, we intend to prove that these barriers are not unconquerable and are growth opportunities.”
Three entrepreneurs, namely Evelyn Ekene Ani of Evani.Ng (First place), Martha Padonu of Beyond Photography (Second place), and Therietta Vershima of La Teriz (Third place) were declared winners of the Union Bank Business Pitch competition held during the graduation ceremony and were rewarded with funding for their businesses.
The Bank’s sponsorship of the training demonstrates its commitment to fostering a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem for women and all individuals.
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