NIGERIA: Arik Air Plane In Emergency Landing In Accra, Ghana

A Nigerian plane made an emergency landing in Ghana after smoke was detected in the cabin, officials said Friday, in the latest incident to hit domestic and foreign airline operators.

The aircraft, owned by Arik Air, was travelling from Lagos to Accra on Tuesday when the fault was detected but no-one was hurt, a company statement said.

Arik Air flight W3 304 from Lagos to Accra on March 6, 2018 declared an emergency in line with standard operating procedures, when an unknown source of smoke was detected in the cabin, it said.

The incident occurred 130 kilometres from the Ghanaian capital but the plane landed safely in Accra without further incident, it said.

It was the latest in a string of incidents involving the aviation sector over the past month.

On February 7, an emergency exit door fell off a Dana Air jet as it landed in Abuja after flying in from Lagos.

Six days later, an Atlanta-bound Delta airlines jet was forced to return to Lagos after a fire was detected in one of its engines with passengers using emergency slides to evacuate the plane, officials said.

On February 17, an Air Peace plane had to delay landing in the southwestern city of Akure because cows had strayed onto the runway.

Another Dana Air plane overshot the runway at Port Harcourt on February 20 due to heavy rain and flooding.

And on Wednesday, the Nigerian government ordered a complete audit of Dana Air's operations to determine the technical fitness of its fleet.

The airline was grounded after a 2012 crash outside Lagos that killed all 153 on board and six on the ground. Mechanical failure and pilot error were blamed.

Arik Air yesterday explained the smoke incident that happened on it’s flight W3 304 from Lagos to Accra,Ghana. A passenger aboard the said flight had on Thursday night accused the airline of not given passengers medical attention after the plane landed in Accra

Explaining what happened, Arik Air Communication Manager, Mr Banji Ola said : Arik Air flight W3 304 from Lagos to Accra on March 6, 2018 declared an emergency in line with standard operating procedures, when unknown source of smoke was detected in the cabin 81 miles from Accra.

The captain of the flight briefed the passengers accordingly assuring them that the aircraft was under control and safe for landing in Accra.

The aircraft, a Dash 8 Q400, landed safely in Accra without further incident and all passengers disembarked normally.

The aircraft is currently parked in Acrra and our team of engineers are conducting comprehensive inspections on the aircraft to ascertain the cause of the smoke, after which the aircraft will be flown without passengers to a maintenance facility for rectification and testing.

The relevant aviation authorities in Ghana and Nigeria have been briefed appropriately on the incident, he added.

Arik Air is a Nigerian airline operating mainly from two hubs at Murtala Muhammed International Airport near Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Arik Air's head office is the Arik Air Aviation Center on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja. Arik Air serves a network of regional and mid-haul destinations within Africa.

On 3 April 2006, Arik Air took over the former Nigeria Airways facilities in Lagos, some three years after its liquidation, and began reconstruction work.

On 14 June 2006, Arik took delivery of 2 new Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft to fly domestic routes throughout Nigeria and, within the African continent from Summer 2006, 2 ex-United Airlines Boeing 737–300s and 3 50 seat Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft.

In August 2006, the Federal Ministry of Aviation granted Arik Air authorisation to fly to Trinidad and Tobago and Amsterdam, London and Madrid in Europe.

Furthermore, the airline then planned to fly to Atlanta, Miami, and Houston in the United States and Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

On 30 October 2006, Arik Air began scheduled passenger flights with four flights between Lagos and Abuja using CRJ 900 aircraft.

Flight operations began to Calabar on 15 November 2006 and services to Benin City and Enugu started on 7 January 2007. The airline is wholly owned by Ojemai Investments.

The Nigerian government set a deadline of 30 April 2007 for all airlines operating in the country to re-capitalise or be grounded in an effort to ensure better services and safety.

The airline satisfied the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)’s criteria in terms of re-capitalisation and was re-registered for operation.

On 4 April 2008, Arik Air was given permission to fly to the United States by the US Department of Transportation.

Arik Air started international operations to London-Heathrow on 15 December 2008, using an Airbus A340-500 aircraft damp-leased from Hi Fly. It added Johannesburg on 1 June 2009, New York JFK on 30 November 2009, and Dubai on 28 July 2014.

Subsidiary airline Arik Niger commenced operations in April 2009, but was shut down in February 2010.

Arik Air transported its 5 millionth passenger on 6 August 2010 and it transported its 10 millionth passenger on 18 September 2012, both on flights between Johannesburg and Lagos.

On 20 September 2012, the airline cancelled all its domestic operations after aviation officials raided the airline's office in Lagos, Nigeria. Flights resumed on 23 September.

Arik Air had placed an order for five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which was cancelled in 2011.

Arik Air then placed an order for two Boeing 747-8I aircraft 2013. However, in early 2017, Arik Air converted the 747-8I orders to two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners instead.

Arik Air had been the last remaining airline customer for the passenger 747-8 who had not yet received any examples, and now the United States Air Force and UPS Airlines are the sole remaining customers.

The conversion of the 747-8 order to Dreamliners came shortly after the airline, owing to major financial stress and most aircraft not being operational.

It was taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) at the start of 2017, deeming the airline as too big to fail.

Since the takeover, all flights leaving Africa, along with flights to O.R. Tambo International Airport, have been gradually suspended.

Simultaneously, KPMG was appointed by AMCON to conduct a forensic audit on Arik Air's books.

Since then, AMCON is gradually in the process of reviving and stabilising the airline and its operations.

Arik Air in the restructuring has suspended all international operations except to Ghana, Senegal, and The Gambia, resulting in the A330 fleet being parked in France.

Arik Air has built up a domestic network covering mainly Nigerian and several other Western African destinations.

The Arik Air fleet includes the following aircraft

- Boeing 737-700 9

- Boeing 737-800 4

- Bombardier CRJ900 4

- Bombardier CRJ1000 1

- Bombardier Q400 2


Tourism Observer

NIGERIA: Dana Air Collides With Bird Mid-Air, Returns To Murtala Muhammed Airport II, Lagos.

A Dana Air aircraft en-route Port Harcourt on Friday morning, made an ‘air return’, some minutes after take-off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport II, Lagos.

The aircraft, with registration number 5N-SRI returned after colliding with a bird mid-air.

Kingsley Ezenwa, Communications Manager of the airline, confirmed the incident in a statement.

Mr. Ezenwa said the captain took a professional decision by returning to the Lagos airport.

A bird strike is a collision between a bird and an aircraft that is airborne and as per standard safety procedure which is the hallmark of our operation, our pilot returned to base.

Our guests have however been put on another aircraft to ensure that their itinerary is not entirely disrupted.

The aircraft is currently being evaluated by our engineers to determine the effect of the bird strike on its affected engine,he said.

The manager also assured Dana Air’s customers that the airline would continue to give priority to their safety and comfort.

The General Manager, Public Relations, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Sam Adurogboye, told NAN that the air return was a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward occurrence.

Mr. Adurogboye said the pilot acted according to Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs), as such the incidences should not be sensationalised.

The pilot did the right thing by returning to base.

The aircraft had already lost one engine as a result of the bird strike and the standard practice is that the pilot should land at the nearest airport.

Once such incident occurs, it is mandatory for the airline to make a report to the NCAA, he said.

Mr. Adurogboye also restated NCAA’s commitment to the safety and security of Nigeria’s aviation sector.

This is the third incident recorded by the Nigerian aviation sector in the last 72 hours.

An Aero Contractors flight NG316 en-route Lagos, from Port Harcourt, was on Tuesday engulfed in smoke about 20 minutes after take-off, causing panic among the passengers.

Similarly, two aircraft belonging to Air Peace were on Thursday involved in a ground collision at the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

Meanwhile, Less than 48 hours after an Aero Contractor aircraft was engulfed in smoke while trying to land at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, another accident occurred at the airport on Thursday when two aircraft belonging to Air Peace collided while trying to manoeuvre their way around the tarmac of the local terminal.

The Air Peace spokesperson, Chris Iwarah, said that the collision occurred around 6.15 a.m. when its B737 aircraft with registration number 5N-BQR had “partial contact” with another B737 aircraft with registration number 5N-BQP.

Although the points of contact of the two aircraft were only slightly impacted, we took the cautious decision to declare them unserviceable to enable proper investigation of the incident, checks and repair by our Engineering and Maintenance Department in line with our high safety standards, Mr Iwarah said.

There were no passengers on the two aircraft involved in the incident. We have also revised our flight schedule to cater to our esteemed guests on the 14 sectors the two aircraft were scheduled to service today.

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, denied that the incident was a collision. He said the wings of both aircraft merely grazed each other.

What happened was that one aircraft was packed. The other aircraft was trying to taxi and the wings of the one coming in touched the wings of the one on ground, he said.

If two airplanes collide, they will be on fire. But the two aircraft were both on ground and they have to repair the damage and we have to check them all over again before they can be cleared to return to service, he said.

When asked if Nigerians should be concerned about safety efforts put in place following Thursday’s incident, Mr. Adurogboye dismissed the concern.

He said accidents happen everywhere in the world and that Nigeria is not an exception.

When you use a machine, assuming you drive a car, even the one you packed in the house, when you want to use it there will be an issue with it. Every machine you are using there are bound to be issues. The same thing applies to aircraft.

There is nowhere in the world there are no issues. It is only in Nigerian that we report incidences. There are incidences all over the world. Aircraft drop off in the U.S. every week. So, to say because of three incidents, it should call for concern. We have 500 landings in MMA alone.

Thursday’s incident is similar to an incident in July 2015 when two Airbus 310 aircraft belonging to FirstNation brushed each other’s wings at the airport.

NIGERIA: Interesting Places To Visit In Port Harcourt

Port Harcourt is one of the most interesting places in all of Nigeria. From the winding creeks in the delta to the lush vegetation in the upland areas, the people are happy and friendly and for a first time visitor, the numbers of places to visit for a good time with friends and family are almost endless.

This post details some of the top places you just cannot afford to miss if you are in Port Harcourt on vacation or even business.

Port Harcourt Tourist beach
One place you definitely have to visit when in Port Harcourt is the amazing beach located in the Kolabi creek in old Port Harcourt. Drive through the apartment lined streets of the old town to the sandy beach that is the most popular of Port Harcourt many creek-lined beaches.

You can play in the cool water of the beach, listen to the local sounds of highlife and modern music from any of the bush bars on the beach.

You can also partake in local delicacies of palm wine, assorted spicy meats and other local dishes. Many tourists come here to play volleyball or beach football, take boat rides, go horseback riding, watch boat races or dive in the cool waters.

Bole King
Bole and Fish is the most famous of the Pitakwa cuisines. It is made from roast plantain and barbecued fresh fish dipped in very delicious red pepper, palm oil sauce.

Around almost every street corner in Port Harcourt, you can find jolly mammy mummies preparing this bole over hot charcoal.

One of the best places, by popular opinion, to have bole in Port Harcourt is at Bole King, located at D-Line in Port Harcourt.

Visit Bole King and partake of delicious bole with palm wine and fruit juices.

Port Harcourt Cultural center
Located on Bonny street, the Port Harcourt cultural center is completely devoted to showing the rich diversity of the Port Harcourt people and their culture.

Various exhibits to be found at the Center include local artifacts from as far back as before the founding of the city of Port Harcourt, African figurines and pottery, as well as a theater where cultural dances and plays are regularly held.

Port Harcourt Mall
The Port Harcourt mall is located on Azikiwe road, beside the Government house. Visiting Port Harcourt without visiting the mall is a huge no-no for people interested in seeing the city and taking back souvenirs.

Within the mall are countless shops from SPAR, Levi’s, DollarStore and many others to cinema theaters like FilmHouse cinemas and an innovative 9D cinema theater.

This is one place you should be sure to visit.

So you think shopping is not an awesome hangout thing to do on a Saturday? Well, maybe because you haven’t shopped at some of the awesome places in Port Harcourt.

Take a trip to the Port Harcourt Mall on Azikiwe road, Old GRA, with over 10 stores from Levi’s, Samsung, Dollarstore, SPAR, and so many others.

You are sure to find whatever you want and have fun doing so too. You may also visit the Genesis Center at Tombia street, GRA phase 2, to shop for exciting new outfits and gadgets at the Ruff n’ Tumble store as well as the electronics store for your smartphones and tablets. Other exciting places to shop in Port Harcourt this weekend include: Welldone Supermarket at Woji road-Olu Obasanjo junction and Everyday Supermarket.

Mile One Street Market
The Mile One market stretches down the Ikwerre road from the Mile One junction to the Education bus-stop/Park junction. Within this amarket you can find affordable items of clothing, electronics, books and stationery as well as lots of foodstuff.

If you are looking to taking home a souvenir of your Port Harcourt trip, this would be a good place to start.

Cinemas
If you love to see movies, and you do not like staying out late, this is definitely the best option for you on a Saturday.

There are many cinemas in Port Harcourt with lovely prices for individuals, couples and groups during the weekends and from 10 am all the way till 10:30 pm.

Depending on your location you could visit the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas. It is located at Genesis Centre, 39, Tombia Street, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt. You could also visit the Silverbird Cinema at the former Obi Wali Cultural Center, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt.

For those who live closer to the Old GRA and Old Port Harcourt town, Filmhouse Cinemas located within the Port Harcourt Mall complex on Azikiwe road, beside the Government House is another perfect option.

So whichever option is closest to you, if you are a moviegoer, you would definitely be having a lot of fun hanging out in Port Harcourt.

Wedding
Weddings are fun! There is loud music, comedy, cake, dancing people and free food and drinks! And you don’t even have to bring a gift for the couple…shhhh!

There are a lot of weddings in Pitakwa every Saturday and you don’t have to wait till you are invited.

Bored and looking for where to go (where you also do not need to spend much to have a good time) weddings are a definite option. But don’t forget to wish the new couple well though!

Hang Out
Go out for a few drinks, listen to some music and simply unwind in a friendly atmosphere at any of the major lounges in Port Harcourt. Some of them include the Cubana Lounge and Events Center on Abacha road in GRA Phase 2, up on the Terrace of the Elkan Terrace Hotel also on Abacha road, The SkyBar at the penthouse of the Genesis Center in GRA Phase 2, The Beer Barn on King Perekule street also in GRA Phase 2 and so many others.

Clubbing
Sure you’ve been expecting this one. If you are a nightowl and you don’t mind being groggy the next day, clubbing is one of the surest ways to have a lot of fun in Port Harcourt especially on a Saturday.

Some of the clubs include Blinkx Lounge (which turns into a club at night) that can be found in GRA Phase 2, Cubana Lounge, Platinum Club at the Hotel Presidential, Everyday Dance Bar in GRA phase 2 and so many others. Drink, listen and dance to nice music and meet a lot of new friends.

So there you are, five awesome places to hangout in Port Harcourt this Saturday. Share this article and also lets know your thoughts and how your hangout went by using the comment below.

Oil Mill Market
Easily the most popular market in Port Harcourt, this market is situated by Aba road expressway, close to the Eleme junction on the outskirts of the city.

At the Oil Mill market which holds every Wednesday, any and every kind of good is sold; from foodstuff to clothing, bags, shoes, mats etc.

Due to its closeness to the commercial hub at Aba and the ports at Onne, the prices for the items are very cheap.

Choba Market
Located on the outskirts of town near the University of Port Harcourt, this market specializes in all kinds of goods, from foodstuff to clothing items.

The prices are subsidized due to the proximity to the university. The market is open every day, however, on the traditional Choba Market Day which holds every eight days, the prices are considerably cheaper as items are brought in from the farms in Emuoha, Ahoada and Etche to be sold at very affordable rates.

Choba market also sports an interesting night market everyday where items can be bought at very low prices, depending only on the bargaining power of the buyer.

Borokiri Market
Located within the old Port Harcourt Town in Borokiri, this market specializes in seafood such as crabs, crayfishes, mussels, prawns, croakers, and so many more.

The prices of these fishes are usually really cheap because of the proximity of the market to the Bonny and Okirika rivers and creeks.

This market holds every day of the week.

Bori Camp market
The Bori Camp is a military base and as such the market operates like a barracks mammy market.

Many of the goods sold include foodstuff and even electronics. However, this market specializes in yams, onions, peppers, beans and potatoes.

It serves as the depot in Port Harcourt for foodstuff coming in from the Northern part of Nigeria. The market is open every day.

Mile 1/3 market
Separated by a mile, the markets at Mile 1 and Mile 3 in Diobu operate similarly and have thus been joined as one. Both markets sell different kinds of food items, clothing and electronics.

However, the food sold here, which also includes assorted fishes are usually very cheap. Mile 1 market especially serves as an indicator of inflated prices in Port Harcourt. If it is expensive in Mile 1 market, it is definitely expensive everywhere else.

The markets are open every day.

Ikoku Spare Parts Market
Also situated in Diobu, Ikoku market is the spare parts market of Port Harcourt. If you are looking for any sort of machinery or spare part for any kind of vehicle, generator set, or arcane machinery, you would definitely find a part in Ikoku market.

The saying goes that if it is not in Ikoku, then it is nowhere else. The prices are fair, depending on the spare part being sought. The market is also open every day.

Rumuokoro Market
Located at the Rumukoro junction, this market is one very exciting market for one major reason: early in the morning, before 8:00 am, prices at the market are at an all-time low.

As the sun climbs up in the day, the prices however begin to rise.

This is because villagers from the communities in Etche and Iguruta come in very early to sell their products before the real market commences.

Early risers always stand to make a killing in this market. Rumuokoro market specializes in foodstuff, though electronics and clothing are also sold, and the market is open every day of the week.

NIGERIA: Customs Reduces Duty On Vehicles Bought Before 2015

Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, has adjusted payment of duty on old vehicles, placing 60 per cent rebate across board on vehicles bought on or before 2015.

The Acting Public Relations Officer of the service, Joseph Attah, announced the grace period for auto duty payment on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mr. Attah said that vehicles with not duties paid from 2015 downward would enjoy 60 per cent rebate, adding that all vehicles brought in 2016 to date would have to pay the normal duty rate.

According to him, the rebate is to create a soft-landing for people who are in possession of the vehicles.

He explained that the 60 per cent of the total value meant the calculation would only be based on 40 per cent.

“So any private vehicle owners who wish to take advantage of the period and pay duty would save a lot before the coming into effect of a system that will totally block them out.

He said that the essence of the adjustment of points and payment was to ease the process and encourage motor dealers in possession of uncustomed vehicles to come forward and pay duty.

According to him, the grace period still remains March 13 to April 12, adding that the points of payment, with the exception of Lagos and Port Harcourt, will now be made at the nearest Customs Area Command.

“More dealers in Lagos are to pay their duties at Zone A, Headquarters and Federal Operation Unit Zone A, Ikeja while in Port Harcourt, it will be at Zone C, Headquarters, Nigeria Ports Authority.

“Private vehicle owners who know that duty has not been paid on their vehicles should take advantage of this grace period to do so.
“Owners of such vehicles or their representatives are expected to go to the nearest pay point for assessment and payment.
“It should be noted that the 60 per cent rebate applies only within the grace period,” Mr. Attah said.

He said the decision to grant a period was not sudden but a product of consultation and long standing engagement with the leadership of Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON).

According to him, AMDON had earlier pleaded for a window to pay duty on all uncustomed vehicles within the country before the ban on vehicle importation through the land borders.

He said that the ongoing collaboration with FIRS, FRSC, VIO and the Nigeria Police in the Vehicles Identification Number (VIN) project was another bold step by the Nigeria Customs to boost revenue and enhance national security.

” The benefit of this collaboration is that those who do not pay duty on their vehicles will not be able to obtain licence and register them in the country.

”We believe that when all vehicles are properly registered and owners identities tied to them, national security will be enhanced.
”We are expecting motor dealers and indeed private owners of smuggled vehicles within the country to use this grace period to pay the duty.

“It should be noted that the service will intensify its statutory function of anti-smuggling operation
with a view to seizing and prosecuting owners of vehicles and other goods.”

Mr. Attah said with the ongoing collaboration on VIN and customs planned operations of bonded vehicle terminals, there would come a time in the near future when owners of smuggled vehicles will not be able to register vehicles in Nigeria.

He said that no vehicle was exempted; vehicles that would enjoy the rebate of 60 per cent were 2015 downward; 2016 to date are brand new vehicles that went through normal clearance so they will not benefit from the rebate.

Commenting on third party buying of vehicles, he said that 60 per cent rebate on the value of the vehicle still applied.

“If the grace period is about to expire and vehicle owners keep coming and we see the need, of course wisdom demands that we do the appropriate thing and take a review.”

The National President AMDON, Ajibola Adedoyin, said that the association had been collaborating with NCS over the past few months to ensure that genuine duties were paid on cars brought into the country.

Mr. Adedoyin said that the association and customs were also working on duty charges to ensure that cost of cars was brought down, adding that vehicles were not luxury but necessity.

“The association sees it important to collaborate with the NCS to see how we can have a win-win situation.

“In our several meetings with them, we were able to agree on certain areas that we are going to work together to make it a success.
“As I talk to you now, customs are trying to put in some kind of things that will make it better for us as dealers, at the same time we on our own are building a platform to make it easy so that buyers can check every car brought at our car stands.


“The platform is almost ready and it is already in the country and our consultants are working on it and maybe in the next three days, we are going to unveil it.

“We find out that in every area motor dealers, customs officers and smugglers are liable to the offence,’’ Mr. Adedoyin said.
He said that the aim of the platform was to ensure that even after duties were paid on every vehicle, there would be something that would be issued to buyers to enable them to check on their own to be sure of what they were buying.

“This platform will make it difficult for people to try to patronise cars that have no duty paid on them,’’ he added.

NIGERIA: Abuja Airport Closing For Six Weeks, International Airlines Reject Kaduna As Not Safe For Flights

Hardly 24 hours to the closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport 9NAIA), Abuja for total rehabilitation of its runway, foreign airlines have continued to shun the alternate airport, Kaduna, insisting the airport is not safe for flight operations.

This is coming as local carriers jostle to increase their frequencies to Kaduna Airport in order to capture more passengers on the route pending the complete renovation of the Abuja runway.

Virtually all the foreign airlines spoken to by our correspondent said that they won’t relocate their operations to Kaduna despite the appeal of the Federal Government for them to do so.

The Airlines said that they have already informed the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika that they would be suspending operations to Abuja the moment it is shut for total rehabilitation. For instance, British Airways in a statement signed by its Regional Commercial Manager West Africa, Mr. Kola Olayinka said that the airline considered several factors before deciding not to fly to Kaduna Airport.

The statement reads: “‘I can confirm that BA will not be operating to Kaduna during the planned closure of the Abuja Airport. “Many factors were considered before this decision was reached, major ones are concern about the safety and security of our passengers as well as difficulties around some key operational issues. “We are currently evaluating all options for our customers planning to travel at that time and we will be reaching out directly to them for information about their trip.”

Also, South African Airways in its letter to Sirika, informed him that it would cease flight operations to Abuja starting from today, March 6th 2017.

The letter was made exclusively available to our correspondent by a source close to the Ministry. The letter was signed by the Ag. Chief Commercial Officer, SAA, Mr. Aaron Munetsi.

The letter read in part: “SAA commends the Nigerian authorities concerning the planned repairs of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport runway. However, due to network and fleet operations planning, SAA regrets to advise that the airline will suspend its Abuja operations with effect from 6th March until April 18th 2017.

“The airline promised to be in constant touch with the Nigerian aviation authorities as the repair work progresses in order to establish its readiness for revised operations in accordance with the work schedule.” Besides, the media consultant to Lufthansa Airways, Mr. Hakeem Jimoh in a telephone conversation with our correspondent said that the carrier would not operate to Kaduna as directed by the government. Rather, he explained that the airline would continue to operate to Port Harcourt and Lagos, stressing that it would only return to Abuja Airport once it is re-opened for flight operations.

He explained that the airline has already stopped the sales of Abuja airport tickets for passengers intending to travel to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from March 8, 2017. Jimo explained that passengers who had already booked ahead, the airline would offer them “no fee booking option,” which would allow them to change their travel plans to Lagos and Port Harcourt Airports without collecting additional charges from them.

He, however, said that for those who still prefer Abuja Airport to any of the alternatives offered by the airline, the management would make refunds to them without any charges.

He said: “There is no plan to operate to Kaduna Airport by the airline. We will soon suspend our operations to Abuja and return to the airport once it is re-opened for flight operations. We don’t have any codeshare arrangement with any Nigerian airline at least for now.


“So, for those who have already book ahead, we will give them alternatives, which is either Lagos or Port Harcourt that we still fly into in the country. We will offer them ‘no-fee booking option,’ which is the industry standards and if any passenger still doesn’t want to fly with us, we will make a full refund of their payments to them without any charges.”

Other airlines that operate into Abuja, but have declined to fly to Kaduna are Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Air France and Lufthansa Airways.

However, indigenous carriers have indicated their willingness to operate direct flights to Kaduna as from tomorrow.
Dana Air in a press statement to journalist early this morning said I would commence four daily flights to the state from March 8, 2017.

The airline put the frequencies at 7.02am, 10.53, 13.23pm and 18.25pm, while there would be one flight each from Uyo and Port Harcourt to Kaduna keeping strictly to its scheduled time of departure.

Also, Med-View in a statement by its media consultant hinted that it would as from Wednesday commence five daily flights to Kaduna from Lagos.

The statement explained that with the schedule, all Med-View Airline flights to Maiduguri and Yola would be routed through Kaduna airport, but their departure and arrival time remain unchanged as well as flights originating from Lagos.

Commenting on the increased frequencies, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the schedule was a proactive measure taken to ensure that all its numerous passengers going to Maiduguri and Yola have a seamless transition to their various destinations while flying Abuja-bound passengers to Kaduna.

The troubled Nigerian Arik Air, has also announced a special promotional fare that would enable passengers to buy a one-way ticket to any destination in Nigeria from N16, 000 especially those on the Kaduna route.

Arik also introduced a new schedule for the airport. The airline said that it would be operating three daily flights between Kaduna and Lagos and one daily flight between Kaduna and Accra, Ghana during this period.

Abuja Airport runway was constructed in 1982 alongside the commissioning of the airport. Rather than the industry standards of 20 years before total overhauling, the runway was in use for 34 years without any major repairs.

While it is closed, Abuja-bound passengers will have to fly to Kaduna and travel by bus to the capital, guarded by security agents, on a road where kidnappings have become recurrent in the last few years.

The plans for Kaduna to handle Abuja flights have been met with skepticism. The airport handled just 12 flights in December 2015, the last month for which Nigeria’s airports authority has figures, compared with 812 that used Abuja.

NIGERIA: Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 Crash

Sosoliso Airline crash is Nigeria’s saddest crash is not an understatement given the fact that it took with it no fewer than 50 children and some notable personalities plus all the melee that happened post crash when it was time to pay compensation to the victims’ family.

Sosoliso crash was one of the reasons government scrutinized the aviation industry and even come up with the recapitalization policy.

It was an airline that operated for just five years, one of the short-lived airlines that started with a lot of promise but ended up making air travellers recoil and start reusing the proverbial nightbus.

Originally based in Enugu Airport, Sosoliso Airlines Limited was a scheduled, domestic, passenger airline established in 1994 and started operations in July 2000.

Sosoliso Airlines operated flights to Enugu, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Abuja and Lagos and as of August 2006 the Sosoliso Airlines fleet included: 2 McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, 1 McDonnell Douglas MD-81, one McDonnell Douglas MD-82

On 10 December 2005, Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 from Abuja to Port Harcourt crashed on landing with 110 people on board. 2 persons survived. Bimbo Odukoya (A popular Christian speaker) and over 50 students of Loyola Jesuit College, an Abuja-based secondary school, were among the dead. It is reported that a witness states that the plane was struck by lightning about 40 or 50 metres from touching down and the fuel in the wing caught fire and it exploded. This has not yet been confirmed by any authorities.Following the crash, President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered all Sosoliso planes grounded.

Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 (SO1145/OSL1145) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight between the Nigerian cities of Abuja (ABV) and Port Harcourt (PHC). At about 14:08 local time (13:08 UTC) on 10 December 2005, Flight 1145 from Abuja crash-landed at Port Harcourt International Airport.

The plane, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 with 110 people on board slammed into the ground and burst into flames. Immediately after the crash, seven survivors were recovered and taken to hospitals, but it has since been reported that four of those survivors have died in hospital care, leaving three survivors, two of whom were flown to South Africa. In the end, two people survived.

It was the second air disaster occurred in Nigeria in less than three months, after Bellview Airlines Flight 210 which crashed in 22 October 2005 with reason unknown, killing all 117 people on board. It was the company’s first and only fatal accident.

The Accident Investigation Bureau concluded that the probable cause of the crash was due to the crew’s decision to continue the approach beyond the Decision Altitude without having the runway insight. The adverse weather condition, were listed as contributing factors.

Compensation controversy

After grounding of the airline, there was the issue of paying compensation to the families of the victims’ Sosoliso Airlines wanted to pay a compensation of USD10, 000 as opposed to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) stipulated USD100, 000 this generated a lot of controversy.

Sosoliso said when it got its license and all its documentation was based on USD 10,000 and was trying to exclude itself from the revised ICAO rules.

During all this hurly-burly, government set a deadline of 30 April 2007 for all airlines operating in the country to re-capitalize or be grounded, in an effort to ensure better services and safety. Sosoliso, given all its challenges and inability to operate due to its baggage was one of the seven airlines that failed to meet the deadline and as a result would not be allowed to fly in Nigeria’s airspace with effect from 30 April 2007.

What annoyed government and the general public about the Sosoliso case was the fact that among the passengers were about sixty-one secondary school students from Loyola Jesuit College in the Federal Capital Territory region of Nigeria At first Loyola Jesuit College students from Port Harcourt traveled between school and their homes via buses using the roads. Rising crime along roads during the 1990s made parents believe that road travel was too dangerous.

Also among the victims were two volunteers for Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors without Borders en route to work in Port Harcourt, Hawah Kamara and Thomas Lamy, as well as televangelist Bimbo Odukoya, pastor of the Fountain of Life Church, who succumbed to her injuries the day after the accident.

Another painful aspect of this crash is the fact that many passengers survived the initial impact and died in the resulting fire. Port Harcourt Airport had one fire truck and no ambulances calling to question the competence of the airport authority at that time.

NIGERIA: Arik Air Cuts Flights Due To Fuel Shortage

Nigeria’s largest airline Arik Air was forced to cut back operations Nov. 16 because of a fuel shortage. In a statement, the carrier said aviation fuel rationing began during the week beginning Nov. 7, causing delays and cancellations.

Arik Air, which operates around 100 daily flights, requires about 500,000 liters of fuel a day. As a local operator, it has been badly affected by the fuel shortage, which it said is the fourth this year.

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), warning about the fuel shortage at Lagos, was issued Nov. 12. Supplies are also limited at Abuja and Port Harcourt.

“As a result of the worsening aviation fuel supply situation, Arik Air has announced a further reduction in flights to cope with the fresh scarcity, and reduce the unpleasant delays and cancellations which passengers have experienced in recent times,” Arik Air said. “One of the airline’s flights to Johannesburg on Tuesday had to be routed via Port Harcourt to pick up fuel.”

The fuel shortage marks a further setback for Arik Air, which was forced to temporarily ground flights Sept. 13-14 because of problems with its insurance policy.

Arik Air serves 18 destinations across Nigeria and Africa using a fleet of 28 regional, medium- and long-haul aircraft, including two Airbus A330-200s.

NIGERIA: Poor Communication A Nightmare To Pilots And Air Controllers, Embarrassment To Nigeria

Air traffic controllers in the country are currently finding it difficult using some of the outdated navigational aids at airports nationwide.

The equipment, some of which were installed in the 1980s, have either completely gone bad or are malfunctioning at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja and others.

The Guardian learnt that the country is constantly at the risk of air disasters due to poor communication between air traffic controllers and pilots flying both domestic and international aircraft into the airports.

A navigational aid (navaid) or Aid to Navigation (ATON) is any device external to a vessel or aircraft specifically intended to assist navigators in determining their position or safe course, or to warn them of dangers or obstructions to navigation.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) says the situation persists, not for lack of new navigational aids to replace the old ones, but lack of funds to install modern tools purchased more than one year ago.

A peep into NAMA's warehouse at its headquarters in Lagos showed there were in stock new equipment, including Instrument Landing System (ILS), for the four major airports that were acquired over a year ago and were already downgrading for lack of use. An ILS enables aircraft to land if the pilots are unable to establish visual contact with the runway. It does this by way of transmitted radio signals.

The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Capt. Bala Na'allah, recently complained about the poor navigational aids and challenges the pilots are facing trying to establish effective communication with the control towers, especially for landing.

Na'allah, who flew his colleagues in the Senate to Lagos for a crucial meeting with the aviation regulators, lamented the poor radio network and the fact that it had dragged on for too long.

The lawmaker, who noted that so much money had been invested in radio network in the last couple of years, said it was unacceptable that communications were still ineffective, compared to similar services in Lome, Niamey, Accra and other African airports.

The President of the Nigeria Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Victor Eyaru, said his members had lately been creating awareness on the bad state of infrastructure, but were yet to get the attention of the authorities concerned.

According to him, the poor communication has remained a nightmare to both pilots and air controllers, and its resolution will save the country the embarrassment the current epileptic system is causing.

Eyaru said that though the nation was passing through recession, the provision of certain critical infrastructure that would aid the delivery of compact services must not be treated with levity.

The Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Emma Anasi, explained that the radio network in question was designed in 1980s. It was actually a donation by the European Union to Nigeria commissioned in eight locations in 1994. It was to help establish Very High Frequency (VHF) coverage on the routes that were operational in the 1980s and 1990s.

Anasi said: "The Abuja and Port Harcourt routes were not in operation at that time. Since then, we have not been able to establish new routes, except one. With the increasing number of flights and the new routes, the VHF system is not able to give us the kind of coverage we should have.

"Subsequently, during the airport remodeling by the last administration the remote station in Jos was decommissioned and still remains so till date. So, when we say we have problems, there are reasons."

He added that NAMA, in 2002, developed a project to take care of these gaps. It planned to have the network expanded in 2006 to accommodate more airports but the contract was not approved until 2009. When it was approved, it was not funded until last year.

Anasi said the agency was not unaware of the problems with navaids, and had already taken the delivery of new tools for the international airports, with extended coverage of Minna and Jos routes.

"If we are able to deploy the equipment, we will withdraw the current ones for use in other airports where we either have issues or don't have any at all.

"The (65 million Euros worth of) Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria system (TRACON) is working well. Our engineers have been maintaining it so effectively in the last two years. But the issue we are having is that it is a technology that is changing with time and we still have to lean on the manufacturers to get the spares."

NIGERIA: Dana Air Begins Lagos-Owerri Flights

Dana Air has commenced daily flights from Lagos to Owerri with an introductory online fare of N12, 600 for one way.

The development added to the routes of the airline which included Abuja, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Uyo with a plan to expand its operations to other cities in Nigeria as part of its strategic route expansion plans.

The Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr Obi Mbanuzuo, speaking in Lagos, said that the airline was committed to providing safe, reliable and pocket-friendly service to the flying public.

He said: "We commenced daily flights from Lagos to Owerri and back with an online fare we feel will be suitable for all. The fare is just our way of thanking our loyal guests on Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Uyo routes for visiting our website to book their tickets."

Explaining the choice of Owerri, Obi said: "Owerri is fast becoming a hub in Nigeria and our decision was borne out of our desire to extend our award winning service to the good people of Owerri, the Imo State capital.

"Plans are in top gear to add to our fleet and we are in talks with our local and foreign partners to see ways to fast track this. We are also aware of the demand for extension of our world-class services to more Nigerian cities and the west coast, and wish to state that plans are underway to expand our route network in the coming month in line with our growth plan,"he said.

NIGERIA: Abuja City

Abuja National Mosque

Abuja is the capital of Nigeria. Since most Nigerian government agencies are now headquartered in Abuja and most other countries' embassies have been relocated from Lagos to Abuja, it is a surprisingly expensive city.

In the aftermath of the Nigerian-Biafra War, the Nigerian government sought to locate its capital in a location not predominated by any one ethnic group.

The site of Abuja was chosen for the Federal Capital Territory as it was centrally located and had few existing residents. Plans for Abuja were first announced by decree in 1976. Most of the construction for city began in the 1980's. Today, it is Africa's only purpose-built capital city.

It has an excellent road network, beautiful rolling terrain and modern Nigerian architecture, however this focus on the car means it is a difficult city for pedestrians. As in the rest of Nigeria, electric power is erratic.

Plane
International flights to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport are offered by several airlines, notably, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM, and British Airways. There are no direct flights to Abuja from the United States.

Although it is possible to fly directly from the U.S. or other locations to Lagos, and take a domestic flight to Abuja, this is not recommended.

The international and domestic terminals in Lagos are not connected and transferring between terminals is a hassle. Furthermore, domestic Nigerian airlines will allow only one bag to be checked on without charge, even if your international arriving flight had a larger baggage allowance.

The airport is located approximately 40 kilometers from the city center. Although construction has begun on a light-rail system to the city center, for now cars are the only realistic way to get to the city.

If your hotel or employer is sending someone to pick you up, get the name of that person and the license plate number of the vehicle in advance. If you do not have a vehicle pre-arranged, take an official (green-colored) taxi.

Bus
You can travel to Abuja by bus from major cities like Lagos, Benin, Kano and Port Harcourt. Reliable services include: ABC Transport (with air conditioned luxurious bus rides), Ekene Dili Chukwu, Chisco Transport (CTN) and Young Shall Grow. The preferred bus service would be ABC transport.

However, you are advised to take only day trip buses from Lagos or Kano. You must be conscious that bus trips are not the safest as in rare situations buses have been attacked by robbers. If you're unfamiliar with the country, do not take a bus without an escort.

Buses allow you to appreciate the terrain, the towns and cities and the subtle changes in these and culture as you drive towards the capital either from the south or the north. The building is 150 meters wide and 150 meters long and 50 meters high.

Car
Abuja was a city planned for cars, with loop highway around the city and broad avenues.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to get around without a car, and the strict zoning laws mean that residences are usually far for commercial areas. Abuja does not have the problem of enormous traffic jams or "go slows" as in Lagos. However, the higher speed that cars travel at presents a higher risk of dangerous accidents.

Compounding this are the traffic signals which will stop working during the frequent power outages and the tendency of drivers to ignore lanes and drive dangerously close to other vehicles. Traffic accidents are frequent,so drive defensively. For safety's sake, keep your doors locked and windows rolled up at all times.

Abuja has a few strict driving laws that are enforced. Seat belts are required of both the driver and front seat passenger. Failure to obey this law leads to significant inconveniences as the vehicle is impounded and not released until the fine is paid.

Taxi
Fortunately, for the visitor, taxis are plentiful and cheap. Most are green and some very beaten up, but they get you there. Fares around town (eg a 5km trip) are N300-N400 depending on the mood of the driver and your bargaining skills.

Always agree the fare in advance and try to have exact change. Having a GPS app on your phone and a rough idea of where you should be heading also a good idea. Private taxi companies are also available - offering phone dispatch and better cars, fares for these companies are about N1,500 - N2,000 for a trip across town.

Abuja is a beautiful city. The tourist attractions would be:

5 Abuja Parks
- The Abuja Millennium Park
- The National Mosque
- The Ecumenical Center
- National Assembly Complex
- Aso Rock

Currency Museum of the Central Bank of Nigeria.This small museum, located inside the modern Central Bank of Nigeria building, shows the history of currency used in modern Nigeria as well as ancient mediums of exchange used in west Africa.

The Abuja Millennium Park is being expanded in an ambitious tourist project to include the Millennium Tower and a Cultural Center and Museum that would boast of some of the most expansive collections of African Art. As of February 2009, the Millenium tower is several years from completion.

Other upcoming projects include the Heritage City Theme Park that would be the largest theme park of African civilizations.

Shopping
- Go shopping at Wuse Market, the main market in Abuja. Everything is available, from fresh food to clothes, music, and electronics. And as markets go, not expensive.

Art & Craft village (across the road from Sheraton Hotel)

Abuja has two cinemas

- Silverbird Cinema, Silverbird / Shoprite mall (near Sheraton hotel). Multiscreen googolplex showing recent Hollywood offerings. N1,000 to N2,000 depending on showtime.

- Ceddi Plaza, 7th Street, CBD. Three screen cinema also run by the Silverbird group.

There is some interesting artwork all over Abuja. Wood carvings, paintings and leatherwork. Everything is available in surrounding countries quite a bit cheaper, but if you are here you might as well buy it here.

Food prices in Abuja are high, especially for Western food. There are, however, many good restaurants in Abuja that are arguably worth the money. The Wuse II area is arguably the restaurant hub for Abuja, with new places opening and closing frequently.

Of course, whether you live in Abuja or are just visiting, there are times when you are willing to pay a little extra for the simple fact that there are few to no alternatives.

Exclusive Supermarket 1202 Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II. A cafe/coffeesho p at the back of the supermarket sells good salads, a few Lebanese dishes, icecream, coffee and standard pizza and grilled food. Cheap (Nicoise Salad takeout for N1000).

Mr. Biggs. All over. Burgers.

Mid-range

Rockview Classic Hotel Bar - Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II. Low key bar/ restaurant overlooking the swimming pool in this mid-range hotel (not the indoor restaurant). Worth mentioning as the price/ quality ratio is good by Abuja standards. Tenderloin steak and chips N1,900, Malaysian-style chicken Satay N1,900, Chinese style chicken wings and chips N1,400.
Love Pizza, The Gourmet Pizza People. Freshly baked Italian Pizza made with the finest ingredients. Pizza, wings, salads. Pizzeria, Take out & Delivery; 2 Bouar close, Bangui street, off Ademola Adetokuno Crescent, Wuse 2. (beside Jevenik)
First Turkish Cuisine, 33B Gana Street, Maitama (quite near the Hilton hotel). lunch & dinner. Abuja's only Turkish restaurant? Offers a range of grilled meats, kebabs and lamb chops. The chef is from Turkey and the portions large and tasty by Abuja standards. Mains N2,000 - N2,500.
Schwarma Shop, adjacent to Amigos Supermarket, Wuse II. 700 Naira for Schwarmas and they offer pizzas for somewhere from 1500 Naira.
Southern Fried Chicken. A local knockoff of KFC, but ask them to go easy on the mayo.
Woks & Koi, Silverbird / Shoprite Mall (2nd floor) (near Sheraton hotel), lunch & dinner. Standard shopping mall Chinese restaurant serving moderately unexciting east Asian cuisine, such as beef in oyster sauce. Prices don't include 15% in service & tax, but serving sizes are large, meaning you could share 2 dishes between 3. Mains around N3,000.
Schwarma Shop, adjacent to 212 Supermarket, Usuma St., Maitama. These Schwarmas have cabbage on them. About same price as the one by Amigos
City View, Cape Town Street, Off IBB Way, Wuse Zone 4. Perhaps the best Lebanese food in Abuja, excellent prices, they also host large groups, indoor or outdoor sitting.
Ceddi Plaza has a fast food Chicken restaurant on Second Floor - and Ice Cream
Drumstix, Aminu Kano Crescent. Fast food, Nigerian dishes, Grill, Shawarma and Ice cream.
Tantalizers Burgers. All over.
Cafe at Grand Square, Mohammadu Buhari Way.
Treehouse Grill, 66 Ademola Adetokubo cresent,Beside Mikano Generators, They offer delicious continental dishes with Steaks, Grilled Fish,smoothies, Chicken Kebab with wings and their Milk shake is the best in Abuja.
Cafe at Dunes, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, one on the main floor and one upstairs. Yeah!
MrPickup.biz, Delivery service. Picks up your orders and brings to you for a small fee!
Spice Food In front of Sahad Store, across from Bolton White Hotels, Ahmadu Bellu Road. 07031111005, 08034500653. Delicious Indian food and snacks at very reasonable prices. Main course N1000-N1500, snacks N300-N600. Su-F buffet 12PM-3PM N2000. Dinner 6PM-10PM
AJ's Pizza, adjacent to the Park and Shop in Wuse II, Aminu Kano Crescent, call your order in before you get there 0803 314 0469 or 0804 410 4567, if your order 5 pizzas, ask for free juice.

Splurge

Ciao, Jitau Plaza, Plot 1173, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, After AP plaza, Wuse II. A good Italian restaurant with the usual Italian dishes. Expect to pay around 2000 Naira for a dinner with wine. Good Pizzas, but AJ's have more to them.

Chopsticks, Plot 66 Mississippi St, Maitama. Good Chinese food, a couple should share one order of a main dish and either rice or noodles. 2000-about 5000 Naira for main dishes. Has cocktail bar.
Sitar, 46 Usuma St, Maitama. Indian food.
Wakkis, Like Sitar but more reasonable prices, this might be considered moderate instead of Splurge. Amino Kano Crescent, follow signs, Wuse II. 1500-2500 main dishes, good seafood. Amazing King Prawns!
Blakes, Fish bar, add unknown, Garki District.
Ubudu Grill Steakhouse at the Sheraton You won't spend less than $50 USD here, but the steaks are excellent.
Chez Victor Reasonably high quality French food and some francophone African dishes such as yassa poulet. Sandwiches with lunchtime specials. Nice house converted into comfortable restaurant. Nigerian owned. 2000+ Naira for main dishes. Ganges Street off Alvan Ikoku Way, Maitama. Next to NEPAD Nigeria offices.
Al Basha Palace Good Mediterranean & Continental food and Pizzas, Shisha. Outdoor, indoor events & parties... 11 Cassandra Street, off Usuma St, Maitama.
LaZeez Place Recently Opened, Usuma Street, Maitama.
Golf Course Has a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, would be a good place to have large group gathering, not called Golf Course, but that is where it is.

Drink
Drinks are available all over Abuja and are very overpriced. Average $20 US for some mixed drinks. 5-9 dollars for a local beer. Buy beer from the Market and you will save a lot of money. The major hotels have bars and restaurants - watch out for the call girls, if you ignore them, they get really offended. If you are not interested, just say so and have a short conversation, then they will leave you alone.

Smoothies Parlor
Ceddi Plaza Has a bar on the basement level.
Blakes Has live music or a DJ and drinks as well as the fish bar
British Village Requires a membership to enter and is popular during different sporting events, especially during soccer games and rugby.
Amber Lounge is in Silverbird Galleria, Central Business District
Orchard Garden. Local outdoor place near Millenium Park, set in a grove. Beer around 250N, small BBQ serving e.g. whole grilled fish for 2000N.
saffron, 1,iyaraclose,off misau crescent,off ahmadu bello way,garki 2,abuja. lunch and dinner. saffron,the rooftop restaurant and bar serves INDIAN and CHINESE cuisine together,best place to have the fusion cuisine at one place,open ambience on rooftop makes the evening beautiful as you can see complete view of Abuja city....... 2000 naira to 5000 naira.
City view Resturant. Labnese food.But Awesome best in Abuja.
911 Black, Verdict Plaza, 35 Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent. 8PM - 5AM. A more local crowd and more reasonably priced drinks than some of its Abuja nightlife counterparts, most lively on Fridays (obviously), ladies' night on Wednesdays. Beer - 500 Naira, liquor/champagne 7000+ per bottle.
Emeka's Beer Garden, Wuye (Across from the Peace Haven Hotel, follow the road past the local Water Board. 5PM-3AM. Charming beer garden in a relatively undeveloped part of the city, near Finance Quarters and Family Worship (use these landmarks to guide your cab driver). Owned by the friendly Emeka, recently repatriated from Japan, where he lived for 20 years. Fluent English, Japanese spoken. Food and drink both available, soccer matches screened regularly. Cheap.

Accomodation

Hotels in Abuja do not score well on the price/ service/ quality ratio.

Many hotels offer large discounts for Friday and Saturday nights. Be sure to confirm if your agreed rate includes tax (typically 10%) service charges, breakfast, internet, parking fees, if there is any early departure fee (i.e if you check out a few days early) even if the bottle of water in your room is complementary etc. and have this written down at check-in.

Most hotels expect payment up front, with the more established ones having credit card machines who are happy to block out some money on your card to cover the bill. Typically it is better to pay in cash if you can, as the black market rate is about 10% better than the official rate (March 2015).

The beacon suites, Garki 2, 1,Iyara close off Misau Crescent, off Ahmadu Bello way, Garki 2.

The Nordic Villa A brand new 4 bedroom boutique hotel furnished in a modern Scandinavian style. The villa is located in a peaceful and safe environment suited for both business and leisure travelers. No. 52, Mike Akhigbe Way, Jabi, Abuja,

Rockview Classic A little dreary but decent. Has gym, tennis courts, pool. The pool bar menu has some better offerings than the bar or restaurant. The 'Classic Hotel is better, and cheaper, than the Rockview Royale/ Annex next door.

King's Inn Hotel, Lobito Crescent Wuse 2, Abuja, Abuja Capital Territory, Nigeria (opposite from UK visa application centre). checkin: sep 4; checkout: sep 5. 10000.

Hotel De Bently N. Okonjo Iweala Way, Utako Abuja. Best Architectural design in Abuja. Its a decent place to stay.

Reiz Continental Hotel Plot 779, Cadastral zone AO, Central Area. Similar to Rockview in terms of standard, but with better service. Has pool too and free minibar (non alcoholic)

Immaculate Plot 111 Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II opposite Cubana Bar, near Diamond Bank. Modern hotel with nice-size rooms and suites. Noisy on weekends because of night club next door, and rooms above kitchen are noisy all the time. Lacks social space like bar/terrace but this is good because there are less prostitutes than in larger hotels. Basic gym and small pool area. Restaurant ok. Reasonable prices and well-located.

Splurge

Decent hotels in Abuja tend to cost well above $200 US per night, despite mediocre.

Hawthorn Suites Abuja - the service is good and the Hotel is beautiful. Part of the Wyndham Group. Five Star. Food is very good. Located at 1 Balanga Street off Ahmadu Bello Way, Garki, Abuja. First left before Sahad. Good Alternative to Hilton and Cheaper - Rates from about N43,000
Transcorp-Hilton - Part of the Hilton Group, this hotel sits on a huge lot and its convention facilities make it something of a social hub in the town. Rooms are small, in serious need of renovation, and terribly overpriced. Located at 1 Aguiyi Ironsi, Maitama Abuja. Rates from About N50,000. Good for weekend lounging by the pool (N2000 entry for non-residents of the hotel) at least.
Sheraton - free wifi for guests over the whole hotel area, rooms are being renovated. The tennis, squash courts are excellent. There is now a new gym overlooking the pool. The old gym is a bit cramped but a big plus for the steam sauna. Hotel rooms are in process of renovation and everything in the hotel (eg. food, laundry) is unreasonably expensive. Although they have a nice breakfast buffet (costs extra). Service has worsened over time but the outdoor food and steakhouse are still good.
Dunes This is a well-known Lebanese-run supermarket with imported goods. Above are hotel rooms. Well run, convenient, restaurant on site.
Protea Hotels All over the city. Clean and nice.

Staying safe
Abuja tends to be a sharp contrast against the background of the rest of Nigeria. While car hijackings and armed robbery are high in Lagos, and kidnapping of foreign oil workers is prevalent in the Niger delta, Abuja in sharp contrast, is one of the safest metropolitan cites in Nigeria.

General security measures like elsewhere in the world should be observed. Like anywhere else in the world, it's always a good idea to have company when exploring unfamiliar places. If you're driving, observe simple measures like keeping your car door locked when parked to avoid opportunistic crime. Armed robbery at gun point is the most prevalent form of crime. A calm disposition and full cooperation with robbers is the best line of action in the unlikely event that you are the victim of a robbery.

Robbers tend to become violent when victims try to pull tricks. Contact your embassy in Abuja and the police if you are robbed. Occasional pick pockets target mobile phones and wallets as well. Do not carry large amounts of cash. Usually, $250 US cash (or N30,000) would more than suffice for impulsive purchases and other daily costs.

Use only the official Green Cabs. Drivers of regular cars frequently cruise around seeking paying passengers; accepting such a ride is dangerous and passengers have been robbed in this manner. Stick with licensed green cabs. Cab fares would be around N500 ($4) for trips within the city. Cab rides to the airport are significantly higher. Negotiate a fare before you enter a cab.

There have been many reports of fraudulent use of credit card details almost immediately after people have used their cards to pay hotel deposits, even in the very top hotels.

Embassies and High Commissions
Australia,Belgium,Canada,Egypt,Czech Republic,Finland,France,Hungary,Germany,Greece,India,Ireland,Israel,Italy,Malaysia,The Netherlands, Norway,Turkey,Romania,Russia,Serbia,Switzerland,Trinidad and Tobago,United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,Ukraine,United States of America,Venezuela,Zambia.

Ghana Invites Airlines For Strategic Partnership

The Ghanaian government has embarked upon the search for an elite airline operator as a strategic partner in the establishment of a new national carrier.

The Ministry of Transport released an expression of interest (EOI) calling for the partnership with highly skilled aviation specialists, stating that the feasibility studies [for the establishment of a new national carrier] also demonstrated the new national airline will require partnership with an experienced strategic airline partner that has a global distribution network to adequately take advantage of opportunities in the market place.

The requirements for the partnership, according to the EOI statement outline that such an entity is required to have solid financial standing, technical strength in areas of IT systems and flight operations, maintenance yield and capacity management, a good distribution network, and be a member of a global alliance.

These requirements effectively eliminate indigenous airlines that have expressed interest, as their current economic conditions were sub-standard of the requirements.
Africa World Airlines (AWA) and Starbow – the only remaining indigenous airlines that possess many of the requirements for the job – still fall short in the long run, as they lack crucial membership in global alliances like Star Alliance, SkyTeamand OneWorld.
Africa World Airlines operates flights from Accra to Kumasi, Accra-Tamale, Kumasi-Tamale, Tamale-Kumasi, and a regional flight to Lagos.

Despite its strategic partnership with South African Airways, which has made it possible for passengers in Nigeria to travel on AWA from Lagos and connect an SAA flight to the USA from Accra, AWA’s routes are not far-reaching enough according to the EOI.
International Operational Safety Audit Program-certified Starbow, which operates flights to all domestic destinations in the country, has the needed designation to fly to many destinations on the West Coast.

Expecting to take delivery of new aircraft, the airline is intends to re-commence regional flights soon — after its initial foray was curtailed by various challenges.

Some other major destinations earmarked by the airline include mega cities like Abuja and Port Harcourt in Nigeria, as well as economically inclining countries like Liberia, and Senegal.

Despite intense competition in long-haul routes, political barriers to growing intra-Africa traffic, high costs and infrastructure deficiencies throughout the continent, African economists and aviation experts still predict growth for existing and new airlines that operate intra-Africa and long-haul flights into Africa from Europe, Asia, and North America.

NIGERIA: Port Harcourt To Become Garden City

Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Chinyere Igwe, has said that his ministry will collaborate with the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce in its Port Harcourt urban renewal project that is aimed at restoring the city back to its lost “Garden City” status. To this end, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce has been appointed member of a special task force in the ministry charged with achieving the ministry’s urban development and renewal projects plans for Port Harcourt and other cities in the state.

The Commissioner, who gave this indication when a delegation of PHCCIMA members led by its president, Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji, paid him a courtesy call in his office, stressed that the collaboration to add PHCCIMA as a strategic partner has become expedient considering that they are the mouthpiece of the organised private sector with gluts of businesses registered under their belt as members. With this partnership, he said, PHCCIMA would help in the area of public enlightenment and re-orientation campaign, as well as advocacy.

Igwe noted that, among the lofty objectives of his ministry as mandated by the executive governor of the state, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, are efforts geared towards putting in place vigorous strategy that will ensure that Port Harcourt and other surrounding cities in the state restore their lost glory through advocacy, re-orientation, information and enforcement.

“We are committed to controlling and regulating activities in the city. Every major place cannot be converted to motor park, building without building plan approvals will henceforth not be condoned, trading on walkways, building on drainage, utility lane unauthorised sites and under high tension power lines will strongly be resisted,” he said adding that achieving healthy and safety of the people and environment are paramount to his ministry.

“This is why we are elated today with this valuable partnership with PHCCIMA who will join member ship of our special team, and we believe they will be instrumental to our campaign and success,” Igwe added.

Earlier on in his remark, Dr. Membere-Otaji noted that the courtesy visit was to propose a public-private partnership with the ministry and seek for ways to assist the ministry through advocacy, and enlightenment in its objective to restore the city to what it was.

He congratulated the commissioner on his appointment and thanked him for appointing PHCCIMA as member of a special task force in the ministry. He said the appointment was timely because, according to him, PHCCIMA is an aggregate of businesses in the city. He gave assurances that PHCCIMA would ensure it reposes the confidence bestowed in it.

His words: “We are committed to contributing our quota and working tirelessly in conjunction with the ministry to stop haphazard and uncontrolled trading development in Port Harcourt and its environs. We are determined to help take away nuisances that has turned impediments to smooth businesses in the city and we believe that Port Harcourt can be attractive for businesses again.”

He lamented that Port Harcourt has of late been muddled and lawless as a result of a disorganised system of trading. “PHCCIMA is solidly in support of your ministry’s effort to reverse the trend; we are committed to working together assiduously to restore Port Harcourt back to what it was,” he said.

Highlight of the event was presentation of the Commerce Port Harcourt magazine to the commissioner by the PHCCIMA president and the receipt of the ministry’s operational guidelines.

NIGERIA: ‘Miracle’ in Nigeria By Kenyan

A near mishap at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos would have further soiled the already grubby image of a Kenyan preacher who made a great effort to establish legitimacy in Nigeria.

Many Nigerians surged at him as he stepped out of the arrival hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, accompanied by Senator Helen Esuene, her daughter, Mrs. Eme Udom and Rev. Israel N. Israel, the man many know as his anchor in Nigeria.

Israel lives in and runs a church called Glorious Covenant Church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. It was through this small congregation in the Niger Delta that controversial Kenyan preacher David Owuor who goes by the title ‘prophet’ crept into Nigeria; paying uncelebrated visits in 2011 and 2012. “God bless you,” he spoke softly and motioned in that famed manner of revered religious personalities as he received a bouquet of flowers from a little girl.

These persons rushing forward to have Owuor lay hands on and pray for them had previously listened as he fielded questions from a small party of journalists.

Hitherto, Owuor’s mat of heavy, tangled beard reaching down to his chest masked his identity. Was he an artiste? His features conveyed the image of a sage.

His conversation with the journalists revealed his personality. As he was gently urged by Esuene and Israel to approach the car conveying him to his hotel, a few security men joined the rush for Owuor’s touch.

He looked at a middle-aged man and insisted that he remove the rosary on his neck before he could touch him. It took four years to plan what was supposed to be a heroic return to Nigeria, a country which is in Owuor strategic scheme.

His desire to make a lasting impression could be discerned from his insistence that his coming must be organised by a pool of influential Nigerian churches and personalities.

Welcome, Repent Now Nigeria, an inter-denominational platform “to plan for his reception in order that many Nigerians from denominations can be reached.”

The group which also had Mrs. Usen Bassey, Miss Ese Ekiugbo and Iniobong Esuene planned a three-day event. The first two days were fixed for meeting with church heads at the MUSON Centre, Onikan-Lagos and the last day scheduled a ‘healing service’ at the Tafawa Balewa Square in the same vicinity.

Owuor was quartered at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island. Senator Esuene was the arrow head, although she modestly referred to it as team work. But she was the interface at many meetings concerning Owuor’s 2016 visit to Nigeria.

Commuter buses carried the message of his visit to Nigeria and a private television network was contracted to record and transmit his activities in the country. Owuor carries the stigma of a fake preacher, even in his home country. And many decent and self-respecting clergy keep their distance from him.

Try as they did, the Repent Now Nigeria group was not able to get a buy-in from the organised body of Christians like the Christian Association of Nigeria and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria. Therefore, they were not officially represented at any of Owuor’s meetings.

In a veiled attack on another controversial Nigerian cleric in particular and many Nigerian preachers in general, Owuor said his coming to Nigeria signals an “end to ‘gospel of money’ where you have people come from South Africa and all these countries and you sell water and all kinds of things to them.

I come to rise up against the gospel of money that is in this city. The gospel of buy your morning water, whichever water, gather people from Southern Africa, carry money to greet the men of God.”

A former research scientist at various universities in the US before his spiritual calling, Owuor claimed to have heard from God who has spoken with him about the coming of the Messiah. He would repeat various versions of this message throughout his meetings, moderating it sometimes with a direct charge to church leaders.

“Nigeria is a God-fearing nation, but now if they are really God-fearing, then this is the moment to return to the true gospel of cross and the blood – the holy salvation and the gospel that is not connected to money- that we may prepare the hearts of the people and the nation for the coming of the Messiah and then everything else will follow.

“I really bring the message of holiness of repentance and to prepare for the coming of the King. So the kingdom of the church you see in Nigeria now, the building of universities, the money and private aircraft acquired with big money and all of that is going to come down. That is why I have come. I come with tremendous power and there is no question about that.”

Instead of the demonstration of ‘tremendous power’, all the meetings barely attracted a handful of people. The most obvious was the last assembly at the car park of the TBS which attracted little less than 400 persons.

It was supposed to be a ‘healing service’ and Owuor whose strong taste for the miraculous in Nigeria could be seen by his invitation to inmates of two popular blind institutions in Lagos. Even though he kept saying that the blind will see, at the end of the day, no blind eye was opened.

No lame person abandoned his crutches. Owuor struggled to have a confirmation of his healing prowess in Nigeria, but it was as if God had taken leave of him! The few persons who came forward claiming relief from pain, stuttered with the ‘testimony’, while Owuor kept asking if there was a doctor to confirm the magnitude of reprieve enjoyed by this people.

A near mishap towards the end of the TBS assembly would have marred Owuor’s reputation irredeemably. As wind storm heralding rainfall started the railing which held floodlights on stage collapsed on a little boy.

Owuor who was still talking when this happened, started announcing that people should step away from electricity cables. With worry written all over his face as it began to rain, he refused to heed Esuene’s request to enter a car. He continued to talk, as if to himself, “so this is the rain I saw in my dream.”

NIGERIA: Med View Airline To Commence Jeddah Flights From Lagos

Medview Airline is to commence international flight out of the country to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The commencement of flight to Jeddah is coming barely some days after it began direct flight operations from Lagos to London.
This is as the airline yesterday unveiled its latest aircraft, Boeing 737-800 from Slovakia to the media.

Managing Director, Med-View, Alhaji Muneer Bankole disclosed this journalists at the airline’s office at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two(MMA2),Lagos, while unveiling another the new aircraft that increased the number of aircraft in the airline’s fleet to five.

Speaking further Bankole said that the airline would commence two weekly flights from Lagos-Kano to Jeddah with plans to increase the frequencies to four in the coming months.

He stated that the aircraft, which arrived at the international wing of the airport at the weekend, was leased from Air Explore in Slovakia and would be used for the Jeddah route from December 31, 2015.

The aircraft with the registration number OM-GEX is configured for 176 passengers comprising of eight business class seats and 176 economy seats.

The Medview Airline boss stated that apart from operating the Jeddah route, which the aircraft would be deployed to, the aircraft would also immediately commence flight operations to its Yola route, that had since increased from one daily to twice daily.

He also disclosed that the airline had been designated to 17 international and regional routes, including seven in Africa, which it would continue to explore and operate into.

He added that in the couple of weeks, it would expand its Port Harcourt operations to two from the existing one daily.
Commenting on its Lagos-London flights, Bankole hinted that the flights had been increasing on a daily basis and expressed confidence that it would continue to grow.

According, “We chose Gatwick instead of Heathrow airport because the airport has a limited challenge. From Heathrow alone, we have three airlines that are operating direct daily flights; British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Arik Air, but we are the only one operating from Gatwick.

As it is today, all our flights out of Lagos to London are fully booked till the end of January. I don’t know whether to call it acceptance or something else, but one thing I know is that our flights have been increasing daily and I want to thank Nigerians for this.”

He continued, “Also, our flights to and from Accra route, which we started about 14 months ago have been increasing and regularly full. We are also planning Dubai operations in the first quarter of 2016 and that is how we hope to grow and consolidate on our operations.”

Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer, Air Explore, Slovakia, Mr. Martin Stulajter, commended management of Med-View for the existing relationships between the two organisations.

Stulajter assured that the existing relationship would continue as the airline had proved to be reliable and consistent in its business development plans

NIGERIA: Airlines Remit $5.57bn Yearly From Ticket Sales In Nigeria

More than 27 foreign airlines flying into Nigeria are remitting over $5.556 billion yearly from the sales of ticket, an aviation expert, Mr. Gbenga Olowo, president of Sabre Network (West Africa), has said. He noted that out of the 48,433 seats available in the international weekly flights from four airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, Arik Air controls only 3,889.

Olowo lamented that Nigeria had not been able to reciprocate traffic rights to most of the partnering countries. According to him, “this has resulted in huge negative balance of trade against Nigeria. This has brought about capital flight. It has put strong pressure on the naira by weakening the exchange rate.

This aids unemployment as Nigerian airlines’ growth remains stunted.” Olowo, who said that African Airlines had been regarded as too small, weak and fragmented, said that the option for them was to come out of the woods and merge or consolidate. The president urged the Federal Government to reverse all Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) and the negative balance of trade.

He explained that the bilateral, multi-lateral, three layers of air services agreements and open skies agreement, which Nigeria entered into, had created a window of opportunity for foreign carriers to come to Nigeria from multiple points. Olowo said that the multiple points entry by foreign carriers had eroded the operational capacity of the domestic airlines. He noted the objective of the balance of trade had not been achieved.

In a paper he delivered at the 10th African Air Transport Safety & Security Summit, held in Accra, Ghana, with theme: “Building Strong Carriers in Africa: A case study of Nigeria,” Olowo explained that the era of stand-alone was no longer realistic as airlines all over the world are partnering, merging and consolidating to be profitable.

He added regional integration, bridging infra-structure gap (ICT, power, transport, water & sanitation) were the key to sustaining profitable airlines on the continent. Olowo stressed that Nigeria and, indeed, African airlines, must collaborate to succeed. He said: “Africa only holds about three per cent of passenger traffic and about two per cent of cargo in the global air transport equation.

The share of (the global) market African airlines have is diminishing. African airlines are mainly small, weak and under capitalised with poor management. “Twenty-five years ago, there were close to 50 African carriers that were members of International Air Transport Association (IATA); that number has now dwindled to about 20.

“Investments in fuel-efficient aircraft are among the reasons for a 1.7 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency the industry has seen lately.” He added that LAM Mozambique, Air Rwanda, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airways had embarked on aircraft modernization by acquiring new models , including the fuel efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

NIGERIA: Dana Air

Dana Air is an airline based in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria and flying domestic services.Following a fatal air crash in 2012 its licence was suspended, but it was cleared by Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority to resume flights in 2014

Dana Air serves the following destinations, all of which are in Nigeria:

Abuja – Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Lagos – Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Port Harcourt - Port Harcourt International Airport
Uyo - Akwa Ibom Airport

Before June 2012, Dana Air also served Calabar, Kano.

With an average age of 23 years per airframe, the Dana Air fleet includes the following aircraft:

Boeing 737-500 1
Boeing 737-800 5 Planes - To be leased from Ryanair
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 4 Planes- To be replaced by 737-800
Total 5 5

On 3 June 2012, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 operating as Flight 992 crashed into a two-story building at Iju Railway, Ishaga a suburb of Lagos. All 153 people on board the aircraft were killed. Following the crash, all flights by Dana Air were halted by Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The airline's license was restored in September 2012 before the inquiry into the accident was concluded. However, in October 2013, the airline's license was once again suspended. The airline was audited and resumed flights on 26 January 2014 with 1 Boeing 737-500

Nigeria has numerous other airlines as below:

Aero Contractors
Allied Air
Arik Air
Associated Aviation
Chanchangi Airlines
Dana Air
Dornier Aviation Nigeria
First Nation Airways
IRS Airlines
Kabo Air
Med-View Airline
Max Air
Overland Airways
Pan African Airlines
Wings Aviation

NIGERIA: Port Harcourt Gets New Museum, Zoo

•Alabo Amachree leading the guests on tour of the museum

Top tourism industry stakeholders in Nigeria last week converged on Port Harcourt for the pre-opening facility tour of the Museum of African History and Culture and Zoo located in the Brooklyn Tourist Centre on East-West Road, Rumuosi in Obio-Akpor council area on the outskirt of Port Harcourt, near the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The tourism complex is the brain child of one of the leading tourism practitioners in the country, Alabo Mike Amachree, the owner of Brooklyn Group of Hotels and former president of the Association Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN).

The practitioners were taken round the new complex to see the new zoo and the museum.

The museum has history of top monarchs that has left indelible marks in the history of Nigeria.

After the tour, the practitioners visited the chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Majesty Dandeson Douglas Jaja, the Amayanabo of Opobo.

Amachree said tourism a major economic activity which generates income and create employment for the people. He added that for a country or state to attract tourists both local and inbound tourists, necessary infrastructures and superstructures that are capable of attracting tourists have to be put in place in addition to the tourists attractions. He said it was on that basis that the practitioners are visiting the monarchs to make suggestions on how the state could built its tourism profile and attrct tourists.

According to him : “Rivers State with international airport, seaport and network of roads and the petroleum industry, has comparative advantage over other states in the country foe tourists’ inflow. Secondly, Rivers State was the first state in Nigeria to establish a tourist site known as the Isaka Holiday Resort in 1967 by the first military governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete Spiff. The second tourist site was established by my humble self known as the Port Harcourt Tourist Beach. It is also on record that my association, the ATPN organised the first Abuja Carnival under my leadership in 1991 without government assistance. We organised the second Rivers State Cultural and Musical Carnival in 1993, tagged RIVCAM ’93.”

Amachree said tourism was not just about building hotels, fast food restaurants, organising carnival festivals that will attract the desired tourists to Rivers State as these facilities are mere ancillary or support service for tourism promotion and tourist delight. He said the state has to develop high class tourist sites and museums where our history and cultural relics, artifacts and monuments would be permanently exhibited for admiration by our visiting tourists. The tour operators would then market the sites and bring in visitors. He said also that development and promotion of tourism was entirely a private sector affair, and that government was to provide enabling environment.

Amachree said traditional rulers, as custodians of culture, history and tradition, should be assisted by the government to equip their palaces with relics and artifacts to promote tourism in their various communities.

He also called on the private sector and the government to jointly open up the rural areas by establishing private tourist sites, monuments, museums, tour operating and tour guiding enterprises which will create more jobs for people like the one he had just built.

In his response, the Amayanabo of Opobo praised the Alabo Amachree for the consistency in his efforts in developing tourism in the country. He also praised him for the new project, the new Museum of African History and Culture.

He said: “Tourism is a product that enhances the dignity and prestige of most countries and provides so many opportunities, employment and entertainment. It helps in boosting national economies. We are lucky so many tourist sites abound in Nigeria.

“In Nigeria, we have so many places to go to. It requires government assistance to private sector to develop them. Your call came at the right time. We will try to talk to the government to look at that area for developing in the area of employment possibilities.”

The monarch said if tourism was developed to its full potentials, oil would take a back seat. He said people want to see new things in Africa. He promised to be at the commissioning of the tourist centre later in the year.

The monarch also used the opportunity to call on the government to return History as a subject in secondary school.

Among the stakeholders on the trip were Malan Garba, President, ATPN, Dr. Mumbo Eniola, ex-permanent secretary, Kogi State Ministry of Tourism, Dr. Dike, former director general, National Gallery of Arts, Prof Alegoa and many others.