AFRICA: Taxify Operates In More African Cities Than Uber.

Ride-hailing company Taxify is taking the fight for market share in Africa with Uber to places where Uber isn’t.

The Estonian company which has grown to become Uber’s biggest rival in Africa is pursuing an expansion strategy that’s focused on not only operating in major cities across Africa, like Uber does.

Taxify has also been expanding to smaller cities and now operates in more African cities than Uber.

In Nigeria, in addition to Lagos and Abuja, the only two cities where Uber currently operates, Taxify has launched operations in Ibadan, Nigeria’s largest city by land size, and Owerri, a bustling commercial center in the southeast.

While neither city matches Lagos or Abuja as urban centers, they have sizable business districts and populations of over 1 million people each.

In Tanzania, while Uber has stuck only to Dar es Salaam, Taxify operates there as well as in Dodoma, the nation’s capital and in Mwanza, a tourism hotbed on the shore on Lake Victoria.

In South Africa, Taxify continues to compete with Uber in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth but has also expanded to Polokwane.

It is set to also launch in East London later this month—a move that will see it surpass Uber for the number of African cities operated in. It will also mean Taxify operates more cities in South Africa than anywhere else.

Much of Taxify’s expansion has been bankrolled by its recent $175 million capital raise—a funding round which valued the company at more than $1 billion.

Taxify’s backers include Daimler, the German car giant and Didi Chuxing, the dominant ride-hailing business in China which is also known for backing Uber’s rivals elsewhere.

As it continues to grow and attempt to win over riders, Taxify’s lower commissions on fares are also a tactic to win over drivers.

For its part, Uber, which has now operated in African cities for five years, is also eyeing more expansion with Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mauritius among potential targets.

And showing a willingness to adapt to local markets, it has also introduced lower cost ride-hailing options with rickshaws in Kenya and motorcycles in Uganda.


Tourism Observer

NIGERIA: Nigeria Air, Is It A National Carrier Or National Airline And Will It Survive Where Others Have Failed?

Anytime Senator Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, spoke about setting up a national carrier, I always switched off. Even though I like his ideas and I still salute his single-mindedness in closing down the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for a critical runway reconstruction last year.

I just could not see eye-to-eye with him on the matter of a national carrier. It was going to be a waste of time and resources, I argued. I had evidence.

For decades, the Nigerian government has satisfactorily shown that it cannot run any business professionally. There is no single commercial entity run by the government that does well. We always end up burning money.

The defunct national airline, Nigeria Airways, started off so well in 1958 but eventually crashed in 2003 as the Nigerian disease of mismanagement ate it up.

Its business class seats were reserved for government officials and their cronies, girlfriends and families most of whom flew free of charge.

That is the way government business is run in Nigeria. Nigeria Airways flew from turbulence to turbulence despite the economic opportunities in the aviation industry.

Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South African Airways, owned by their respective governments, were doing fairly well but our own Nigeria Airways was descending both in service quality and profitability.

President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office in 1999 lamenting that Nigeria Airways had 32 aircraft when he left office as military ruler in 1979.

Twenty years later, only one aircraft was functional. He promised to revive the airline. I was in the team of journalists that flew to South Africa in 2000 for the signing of a lucrative code-sharing deal with South African Airways on the Johannesburg-Lagos-New York route.

We were told the deal would breathe a new life into Nigeria Airways. It was only on paper. While SAA is still going strong, our own national airline finally collapsed under heavy debts in 2003, unable to keep head above water despite subventions and subsidies.

The climax of the sad Nigeria Airways story, as narrated by a passenger, was in May 2002. A New York-Lagos flight was delayed for 24 hours because the airline couldn’t pay for fuel. Passengers had to contribute to fuel the aircraft. One passenger gave a loan of $5,000 to the airline.

It turned out to be the last flight. Another sad story is that of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), set up by government in 1959. It sank in 1995 under the weight of debts and mismanagement.

All its 21 vessels were sold off. With these stories at the back of my mind, I was not excited when the Buhari administration started talking about setting up a national carrier.

But I am having a rethink with the unveiling of the Nigeria Air brand on Wednesday. Sirika said the federal government will own only 5% as well as raise the start-up capital for operations to commence in December.

He said it is going to be a public private partnership (PPP) to be privately managed. Investors will own the remaining 95%. There is already an international drive to market the venture to partners and investors.

The proposed carrier is expected to be a major player in the aviation sector, serving domestic, regional and international routes. The business projection is that in five years, it will be carrying four million passengers and boasting of a fleet of 30 aircraft.

For starters, national carrier is not the same as national airline. A national carrier flies the country’s flag and gets preferential treatment in international operations while a national airline is owned by the government.

A national carrier, sometimes called flag carrier, does not have to be government-owned. There are different models. For instance, British Airways is the UK flag carrier but it is not owned by the British government. It’s the same for Lufthansa (Germany) and Japan Airlines.

But Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir are 100% state-owned. Kenya Airways was wholly state-owned until 1996. It is now public-private.

Actually, my interest in Nigeria Air is fuelled by many factors. One, government will not have a say in the management. With 5% stake, it will be a minority shareholder. If the airline runs well, therefore, Nigeria will be reaping dividends rather than burning subventions.

We will now have to pray that Nigeria Air will not be managed by the mindless and clueless Nigerian big men and buccaneers who have not the foggiest idea about how the airline business is run. There are too many failed examples in our aviation industry.

The success of Nigeria Air will depend on the quality of management. But, to start with, the government will not be involved. That sounds better.

Two, the benefit of solid start-up capital means we can be assured of good aircraft. When Arik launched operations in 2006, its selling point was the tear rubber or brand new aircraft. Despite all its troubles, Arik’s safety record is still intact.

That is a benefit of a well-invested capital and maintenance. Government should invest in businesses that require huge capital outlay in order to spark off investors’ interest.

When no investor was interested in building hotels in Abuja, federal government built Hilton and Sheraton, which it later privatised. Can you count the number of hotels in Abuja today?

Nigeria is not enjoying much benefit from its bilateral air service agreements (BASA). For instance, British Airways flies to Lagos and Abuja daily and Virgin Atlantic flies to Lagos also daily, but there is no Nigerian airline flying to the UK.

Not even one flight! You are not likely to find this anomaly in many countries with a huge market like ours. According to Sirika, Nigeria Air will fly 41 international routes, in addition to 81 domestic and 40 regional.

If anything, virtually every sector of the Nigerian economy should benefit from the business, not forgetting the little matter of job creation in a country direly trying to tackle unemployment.

Four, the fact that government is investing in a business does not mean it is doomed. A ready example is Nigeria LNG Limited, in which government owns 49% but which it does not run. It is one of the best NLGs in the world.

If it was run by government, it would have become another NNPC — which is just a sleazy centre for the distribution of political patronage. We have not only recovered our investment in NLNG, we have continued to enjoy the fruits of our seed capital.

Therefore, that government is investing in an idea does not necessarily doom it. What makes the difference is who manages it. The government must not have the power to play patronage politics with Nigeria Air.

Economists will say everything has an opportunity cost. I agree that the money government is going to invest in Nigeria Air can be used for other pressing needs in education, healthcare, water, roads, bridges, and so on.

However, the fact that we need roads and schools does not mean we don’t need to improve options for Nigerian travellers and incentivise competition in the aviation space. We can do many things simultaneously. One does not stop the other.

Given the expected multiplier effect, this looks like an investment worth making, all things being equal. It is more than national pride, it is sowing seed in an economic driver.

Virgin Nigeria was running fairly well until the Nigerian factor ruined it. Its successor, Air Nigeria, was a natural disaster. Arik was considerably successful until it was infected by the Nigerian disease of mismanagement.

Nigerian billionaires are always guaranteed government bail-out whenever they ruin their businesses. The moral hazard encourages bad behaviour.

If Nigeria Air ends up in the hands of these buccaneers, then its fall will be mightier than that of Nigeria Airways. Ironically, Nigeria Airways was profitable when it was managed by KLM. Nigerians took over in the 1980s and please help me complete the sentence.

Ex-workers of Nigeria Airways are still being owed. In September 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari approved N45 billion for the settlement of their severance benefits. The national assembly did not pass it. This issue has to be resolved before we can start a new carrier.

Investors are expected to inject between $150 million and $300million over a number of years. We need to know how much in total Nigeria will be committing to it and how the funds will be raised. We can use all the transparency at this stage. Already, the PDP has described it as a scam.

Finally, my understanding is that PPP has three stages — development, procurement and implementation. The idea has been developed. That is what we saw with the unveiling of the brand at the Farnborough Airshow in the UK last week where the biggest guys in the global industry usually gather.

The next phase is procurement. Where will Nigeria get the funds to pay for the aircraft? Will it a recoverable loan from the federal government? Will we source funds from Exim Bank, AfDB or commercial banks? We need to know.

Investors are expected to inject at least $150 million by 2019. Have investors started showing interest? We need answers, Senator Sirika.

Except there is a supernatural dimension to this issue, I still don’t know why the federal government will not release Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) from detention. The former national security adviser has been granted bail by the court countless times.

The attorney-general, Mallam Abubakar Malami, says Dasuki was responsible for the death of 100,000 people and will not be released on bail. Does that mean Dasuki is already serving a prison sentence?

Normally, it is a court of law that pronounces an accused guilty. The attorney-general would be better off arguing his case against bail in court. But he has now assumed the role of a judge.

While we await the final word on the controversial NYSC discharge certificate of Mrs Kemi Adeosun, the minister of finance, I must confess that I have learnt a lot from this saga. For one, I never knew you have to serve even if you are 60, as long as you graduated before clocking 30.

I just assumed if you return to Nigeria after 30, you will be exempted. I also never knew that even if you never set a foot on Nigerian soil, as long as one of your parents is a Nigerian, you are automatically a Nigerian.

Meanwhile, now that a generation of Nigerians are schooling abroad, I hope their parents will remind them to come home and serve, even if they will still return to live abroad.

Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Thursday ruled out government’s interference in the recruitment and operations of new national carrier, Nigeria Air.

Sirika gave the assurance at a lecture, held at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s 47th convocation in Kaduna.

He explained that the airline was unveiled in London for visibility but that investors in the company would decide the running of the airline.

Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Thursday ruled out government’s interference in the recruitment and operations of new national carrier, Nigeria Air.


Sirika gave the assurance at a lecture, held at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s 47th convocation in Kaduna.

He explained that the airline was unveiled in London for visibility but that investors in the company would decide the running of the airline.

There will be no management control whatsoever. But I want to warn you that the people who are going to do recruitment ab initio will be a company that is world-class, he said.

Sirika said that Nigeria Air would be different from the grounded Nigeria airways.

The ownership is different. It is different because it is private sector-driven.

Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, on Thursday ruled out government’s interference in the recruitment and operations of new national carrier, Nigeria Air.

Sirika gave the assurance at a lecture, held at the Air Force Institute of Technology’s 47th convocation in Kaduna.

He explained that the airline was unveiled in London for visibility but that investors in the company would decide the running of the airline.

There will be no management control whatsoever. But I want to warn you that the people who are going to do recruitment ab initio will be a company that is world-class, he said.

Sirika said that Nigeria Air would be different from the grounded Nigeria airways.

The ownership is different. It is different because it is private sector-driven.

Government will own minority share of less than five per cent.

Nigeria Airways died due to so many reasons, including governance issues and also that of finance.

Nigeria Airways was owned by the government of Nigeria and over time it lost track and lost funding and someone, therefore, decided to shut it down and it died, he added.


Tourism Observer

NIGERIA: RwandAir Commences Kigali - Abuja Flights

Rwand Air on Friday inaugurated its maiden flight to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with 30 passengers on board Boeing 737-700 aircraft from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.

Miss Ibiyemi Odunsi, the airline’s Country Manager, Nigeria, said that the commencement of Abuja-Kigali route was part of the airline’s determination to expand its business to the nation’s capital.

Odunsi said the airline decided to give the diplomatic community and government officials the opportunity to experience direct flights to Kigali and other parts of the world through the destination.

She said that Rwand Air would be operating four times weekly flight to and from Abuja – Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday unlike Lagos where it operates daily flights.

Nigerian travellers can now fly direct from Abuja through Rwand Air without having to go to Lagos because; if you have not started business in Abuja you have not started in Nigeria.

We have been in Nigeria since 2012 but this is significant for us because it is something that has been on our minds before now, but we have made it happen.

All this while, the diplomatic community, government officials probably have been segregated because they have not been able to enjoy Rwand Air.

This is because most people won’t have the luxury of going through Lagos, but effective today, they can fly seamlessly without having to go to Lagos.

As an airline, we know that this is the political capital of the country and as Nigeria is expanding we have to be part of what it is doing.

Now we know we are doing what Nigerian travellers want because we cannot just be in the commercial capital without being where the stakeholders are, she said.

Odunsi said the airline was aware of the competition in the industry, adding Rwand Air’s unique selling point would stand it out such as its safety record and on-time performance.

She expressed optimism that the airline would be able to achieve 80 to 85 per cent load factor on the Abuja route through efficient service delivery.

The Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Stanislas Kamanzi, commended the Federal Government, aviation agencies and management of Rwand Air in Nigeria for making it possible for the opening of Abuja route.

Kamanzi said the new route was a product of the long standing friendship between Nigeria and Rwanda, adding that the Abuja-Kigali route would deepen trade relationship between the two countries.

According to him, this is coming at the right time when Africa is moving toward integration and the fastest mode of transportation is through air.

We look forward to growing trade and diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Rwanda as well between East and West Africa.

That is what we need for our people to tap the wealth of our continent, he said.

Also, International Terminal Manager, FAAN, Mrs Hajara Musa, who represented the Airport Manager, said the authority was ready to give the airline the needed cooperation to enable it succeed.

Musa said the airport was always ready to receive more flights to encourage trade facilitation by the government.


Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways Strike Flights Will Be Affected

Flight Delays that’s the prospect for about 5,000 BA passengers for the next 16 days as another cabin-crew strike gets under way.

The 1-16 July strike is the latest episode in a long-running dispute involving members of the Unite union working for BA’s Mixed Fleet at Heathrow.

Thousands of passengers have had their flights cancelled, but the airline says the “vast majority” of its flights will operate,partly thanks to the planes BA is borrowing.

It was originally about pay. Mixed Fleet was created in 2010, and currently constitutes about one third of BA’s total cabin crew. They are employed on inferior terms to longer-serving staff.

Mixed Fleet cabin crew who are members of the Unite union began strike action at the start of the year in a bid to improve what they called “poverty pay“.

British Airways and Unite have now reached agreement on pay. The battleground has now moved to what the union says are “punitive sanctions” against 1,400 members who took part in previous strikes, involving the removal of bonus payments and staff travel concessions.

The airline’s plans assume that the same number, around 1,400, will stop work. That’s about one in four of the Mixed Fleet total.

BA has also brought in planes. While spare aircraft and crews are difficult to charter in July, because it's peak season, BA’s part-owner, Qatar Airways, happens to have a lot of them sitting idle.

They have been grounded by the geopolitical row in the Gulf, which forbids the Qatari airline flying to a number of neighbours.

The Unite union had objected to the use of these planes, saying that Qatar Airways violated international labour standards. The union also claims: Qatar Flight Duty Time limitations and Rest requirements are inferior to the UK.

But permission for the deal was granted by the Government with just hours to go before the strike began. They will be deployed on short-haul routes from Heathrow to Munich, Brussels, Zurich and other destinations.

British Airways says any passengers who don’t want to fly on Qatar Airways can switch to “real” BA flights or get a full refund.

BA says that 99.5 per cent of its schedule will operate,which means that one in 200 flights will be cancelled. I have identified dozens of flights, all of them long-haul, that have been grounded because of the strike.

The most numerous cancellations are on the Heathrow-Doha link, with 12 flights axed between now and Thursday, but other flights are affected including round-trips to New York, Abuja and Muscat.

Over the next 16 days British Airways would normally expect to carry around 1.8 million passengers, and I estimate 10,000 will find their flight is cancelled. Passenger numbers could also be reduced because of reluctance to book on an airline threatened with a strike.

Flights that do not begin or end at Heathrow, eg those from Gatwick, London City and Stansted, are unaffected.

Passengers are being offered alternative departures, on British Airways or other airlines. They may also choose to cancel with a full refund, to postpone the trip or to reroute.

BA will not pay compensation for cancelled flights: industrial action is one of the relatively few grounds for an airline to refuse compensation due to extraordinary circumstances.

But if passengers are disrupted as a result of the strike, BA must provide a duty of care: meals, refreshments and if necessary accommodation as appropriate.


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NIGERIA: Woman Gets 10 Years For Smuggling Cocaine

Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja has sentenced a 55-year-old female pilgrim, Basirat Iyabo Binuyo, caught last September smuggling 76 pellets of cocaine weighing 931 grammes to Medina, Saudi Arabia to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour with effect from Monday.

In his judgement, Quadri said the sentence should serve as a deterrent to others.

Besides, he said that the hard labour was added because the convict failed to reveal the identity of her sponsors.

Binuyo tested positive to narcotic ingestion at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last September.

She was immediately placed under observation by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, during she excreted 76 pellets of substances found to be cocaine.

The NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan, said the convict hails from Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

She is married with three children and a trader at Dosumu Market, Lagos.

In her statement to the NDLEA, she agreed to smuggling the drugs for a fee.

Binuyo wrote: “I am a trader in Lagos, married with three children.

“I wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I have no money.

“My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage.

“I was excited until I was asked to take drugs along.

“I wanted to decline but considering the offer of a million naira, I accepted.

“I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took flight to Abuja on my way to Medina, but I was caught in the process.”

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd), while applauding the sentence, warned against drug trafficking.

Abdallah said: “The war against drug trafficking in Nigeria is on course. Stopping the woman from going to Saudi with the drugs was highly commendable and the punishment is right. No drug traffickers shall go unpunished.”

NIGERIA: Ethiopian Airlines To Make Daily Flights To Kaduna

The Ethiopian Airlines says it will fly Kaduna route with daily frequency with its Dream Liner aircraft during the six weeks closure period of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Firiehiwot Mekonnen, Traffic and Sales Manager of the Airline in Abuja, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

Mekonnen spoke after a closed door meeting between the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and representatives of foreign airlines operating in the country in his office.

She said that the airline’s team of experts had inspected the airport, urging the Federal Government to address the areas of concern raised by the team in order to ensure smooth operation in Kaduna.

She said: “Ethiopian airlines have been flying to Nigeria since independence and never suspend or reduce its flights since then rather we have increased our flight for both passenger and cargo.

“We have been here through thick and thin so we will always be here to support Nigerians.

“In this decision of closing Abuja airport, the airline stands by Nigerian government so we will fly to Kaduna with daily frequency with dream liner.

“And we hope the government will work on the Kaduna airport based on the remarks we gave during our inspection in order to help smooth operation.”

Mekonnen also disclosed that the airline flew to four destinations in Nigeria, explaining that it flew Dream Liner aircraft to Abuja seven days a week and Boeing 777 to Lagos seven days a week.

She added that the airline flew Kano and Enugu three and four times a week and sometimes up to 5 times a week depending on the season and scheduled cargo flights to each city.

According to her, in 2017, the airline is planning to open more new destinations, receive more new and modem aircraft and give a reliable safe air transport service to our esteemed passengers.

“As a successful pan African airline, we are helping to sustain Africa’s market by connecting the continent to the rest of the world,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government had invited foreign airline operators to inspect the Kaduna International Airport ahead of the March 8 closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja.

Sirika the Kaduna airport was fully ready to accommodate traffic diversion from Abuja between March 8 and April 9, when Abuja runway would undergo repair.

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: 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."

South African And Nigerian Cities To Be Outgrown By Kenyan

Kenyan cities are tipped to register the highest growth rates in consumer spending over the next 15 years, outpacing the Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon metropolises.

Research firm Euromonitor International in a new report covering 24 cities projects that consumer expenditure in Kisumu will rise by 277 per cent from $0.6 billion (Sh60.6 billion) in 2015 to $2.2 billion (Sh228 billion) in 2030 at the equivalent of last year’s prices.

The Kenyan lakeside city is followed by Mombasa whose consumer spending is forecast to rise 221 per cent from $1.6 billion (Sh161.6 billion) to $5.1 billion (Sh518.7 billion) over the same period as per the Euromonitor projections.

Nairobi is third with a predicted 208 per cent expansion rate in consumer expenditure from $5.6 billion (Sh565.6 billion) to $17.2 billion (Sh1.7 trillion).

The anticipated growth rates mean Kenya’s cities are expected to be more attractive to businesses dealing in consumer goods and services compared to other leading African cities.

The local cities are followed by Cameroon’s Yaoundé, Nigeria’s Abuja and Cameroon’s Douala whose consumption is forecast to rise by 172 per cent, 170 per cent and 134 per cent from the current levels of $4.6 billion, $9.6 billion and $4.2 billion respectively.

While Kenyan cities are poised to register the fastest growth in consumption over the review period, the report notes that they are relatively poorer than those in Nigeria and South Africa that have larger absolute consumer spending.

“In contrast, Kenyan cities are relatively poorer. Yet on the positive side, the country’s relatively high Internet usage paves the way for innovative, tech-savvy solutions,” says the Euromonitor report.

“E-commerce companies and tech entrepreneurs will find Kenyan cities particularly appealing.”

The majority of the households, about 92 per cent in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu have an annual income of between zero and $10,000 (Sh1 million).

About six per cent earn between $10,000 (Sh1 million) and $25,000 (Sh2.5 million), with two per cent having an income of more than $25,000 (Sh2.5 million).

The report notes that consumers in the Kenyan cities spend most of their money on basic goods and services including food, transport, housing and leisure.

Food is the largest expenditure item, accounting for 44.3 per cent of Kisumu’s consumer spending, 39.5 per cent of Mombasa’s and 35.1 per cent of Nairobi’s.

Several international food brands have entered Nairobi over the past few years, targeting demand from the growing middle class whose tastes have partly been shaped by global travel. These include Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Subway.

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: Balafon Awards

Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, Ethiopian Airlines and Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja are among winners in various categories of the keenly contested Balafon Awards powered by organisers of the Accra Weizo event in Ghana.

Gov. Ayade won Tourism man of the year as Ethiopian Airlines as well as Arik Air and Emirates won the award Top interanational airlines in Ghana, and Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja; Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos; Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Oriental Hotel and, Intercontinental Hotel Lagos won in the Top 5 Hotels in Nigeria category.

The Balafon Awards, according to organisers is an award targeting people in travel business in West Africa.

Mr. Ikechi Uko told Arts & Ideas that the competition is based on the fact that there is need to encourage travel business in West Africa. He said judges - comprising journalists from Nigeria and Ghana - presented a shortlist of contenders in the various categories to public voting through which winners eventually emerged.

The series, whose name originates from a francophone traditional xylophone, had previously held in Lagos as part of the annual travel and tourism fiesta, Akwaaba.

· Best Airlines in West Africa

Arik, Asky, Air Peace

· Top 10 Hotels in West Africa

Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos ,Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, Intercontinental Hotel Lagos, Labadi Beach Hotel Accra, La Palm royal Beach Hotel Accra,Kairaba Hotel Gambia, Radisson Blu,Hotel Lome, Wheatbakers Lagos, Lou Moon Ghana ,MovenPick Ambassador Hotel Accra.

· Top 10 Hotels in Ghana

Labadi Hotel, LaPalm Royal Beach Hotel, Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Golden Tulip Hotel Accra,Holiday Inn, African Regent, Kempinski Gold City, Tang Palace, Royal Senchi Resort Akosombo, Lou Moon,

· Top 5 Hotels in Nigeria

Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos, Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Oriental Hotel and Intercontinental Hotel Lagos

· Top International Airlines in Ghana

Emirates, Ethiopian, Arik Air

· Tourism Man of The Year in Ghana

Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu- Adjare, Minister of Tourism , Ghana; Kwame Ofosu Bamfo, Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel Accra and Tourism Ambassador, Abeku Santana

· Tourism Man of The Year - West Africa

Gov. Ben Ayade, Cross River State; Obinna Ekezie, CEO Wakanow and Elizabeth Ofosu- Adjare Minister of Tourism, Ghana

· Aviation Man of The Year in Ghana

NIGERIA: Lagos Airport Terminal Almost Complete

Murtala Mohammed International Airport

Passengers and stakeholders at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos will soon witness improved services at the airport as the new terminal under construction has reached completion stage.

Our correspondent who was at the international wing of the airport reports that the terminal with the capacity to process 30 million passengers is almost ready for hand-over to the government.

Unlike before, when the project was kept away from the glimpse of people as the work progressed, visitors and passengers especially airport officials are now able to view the level of work done.

Looking at the new terminal from a distance, it really gives an impression of a project that is about to be completed.

The Lagos terminal is one of the four terminals being constructed, with other three being the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Port Harcourt International Airport and Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.

The new terminal when completed is expected to ease passengers' facilitation at the airport and increase passengers' volume from the present 15 million to 30 million as envisaged by government.

The spokesman of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Yakubu Dati, confirmed that the new terminal is at the stage of completion.

He said: "From what we can observe physically, the work is nearing completion. In fact they are just putting finishing touches and we believe that they would be able to meet up with their deadline which is actually the end of the year to deliver the facility.

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: AES Apartments Abuja: Pinnacle Of Pleasure And Luxury

AES Luxury Apartments is one of Nigeria's leading luxury apartments and hotels with ultra-modern facilities that give maximum comfort to its guests.

With less than 20 minutes drive from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, AES is precisely situated on Plot 1118 Daki Biyu, Opposite Citec Estate, along Jabi Airport Road, in a tranquil and secured environment. Without any stress, AES is just about 15 minutes drive to the Central Business District in Abuja.

AES building is a dignifying edifice which has a superlative dazzling exterior and beautifully designed.

The hotel is delectable to sight, the pristine marble used for the floor, golden chandeliers, ornamental artworks , Italian special POP, Gothic columns, iconic furniture set as a living room affairs with the big Plazma TV while the front desk managed by apparently well tutored staff overlooks the reception.

AES Luxury Apartments have over 66 elegant, fully serviced and tastefully furnished apartments with state-of-the-earth facilities in all rooms.

The Single Studio Apartment is stately in setting, well apportioned and well dressed. It is a wide room of a room affair, but has all the necessary facilities and fittings needed for a long stay.

The bedroom is fitted with a bed with five pillows, four throw pillows, blanket as white as snow, thermal studded duvet, reading table, chest drawer with mirror, electrical appliance including a press board and iron.

The Superior Suite Apartment enjoyed more generously with superior fittings and fixtures, Jacuzzi bath which set the value for the price while the Luxurious Suite Apartments are exercise in posh and coziness.

Every item in the Ambassadorial Apartment is fitted and pampered to the taste of any high class diplomat. The door is incased with a CCTV. It comes with another room for aides or personal assistant.

A living room with Baroque furniture, meeting arena, dinning platform for, musical gadgets, big Plazma TV, and a out of the world bedroom with an enviable bathroom as large as a living room with all the facilities needed to tend the body of a skillful and debonair diplomat.

Half Olympic size swimming pool, a pool bar and a natural enclave with nature for the guest pleasure trek can take place are being planted. This garden can accommodate over 300 guests for social events.

The hotel has two restaurants, two bars, night club and business centre. Not just bars for drinking sake. Each is located strategically and configured for comfort, convenience and privacy of guests. Each is designed as avenue to relax, discuss business and have fun.

The night club which can conveniently accommodate more than 100 fun seekers is set on hi-tech modulated musical equipment with sound proof wall.

On Fridays and Saturdays, there are seasoned DJ and comedians at the night club known as AES Royal Lounge Club to entertain the guests.

Being luxury apartments and all en suites, the hotel has multi- purpose stores where all condiments for soups, food items daily needs and other necessities can be procured while there is a supermarket and a sophisticated boutique.

One significant virtue of AES Luxurious Apartment is that the opulence and luxurious fixtures and fittings, exquisite facilities, well mannered staff, excellent culinary products , the almost perfect customers' relations and affection.

Capping this is the robust sense of vigilance and security measure put on ground and spread at AES Luxurious Apartment.

The entire environment is well protected with able body and experienced private security officers supported by Nigerian Police.

AES value added hospitality services are provided by well trained, highly motivated and experience professionals.

NIGERIA: Arik Air Increases Frequency On Warri Route

Arik Air, Nigeria and West Africa’s largest carrier, has increased flight frequency on the Lagos-Warri and Abuja-Warri route, due to the temporary closure of Benin Airport by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Arik Air started, last Monday, to increase the frequency on the Lagos-Warri route to make three daily (Monday-Friday) flights.

Weekend (Saturday/Sunday) schedule has been increased from one to two flights. Similarly, the five weekly Abuja-Warri service has been increased with the addition of Saturday and Sunday flights.

The new schedule will be operated from June 22 to July 10, when the Benin Airport would be closed for repair works.

The additional Lagos-Warri flight will depart Lagos daily at 11:30 am and arrive in Warri at 12:30 pm. The inbound flight leaves Warri at 1:00 pm and arrives in Lagos at 2:00 pm. This is in addition to the early morning and late afternoon flights between Lagos and Warri

NIGERIA: Arik ,Aero And Dana Most Popular And Preffered Airlines In Nigeria

A recent survey by a Nigerian business and management consulting company, Phillips Consulting Limited has revealed that out of the 20 domestic airlines operating in Nigeria to major cities such as Lagos, Calabar, Abuja and Enugu- Aero Contractors, Arik Air and Dana Airlines are the most preferred airlines.

This survey was done between May and August 2015 in order to determine the perception and expectations of domestic travellers. Despite flight delays and safety concerns of these airlines Aero contractors ranked first with 39 percent, followed by Arik Air with 34 percent and Dana Airlines with 10 percent.

Aero Contractors, which is the oldest airline in Nigeria and operates 50 daily flights across Nigeria and other West African countries was the most preferred airline by Nigerians. According to the survey, then this is because of its affordable ticketing price.

Airline fares are as low as N10, 000 and passengers enjoy discounts for booking their flight ahead of time with added incentive for paying online and booking on hold.

In August 2015, Aero Contractors won the Exceptional Safety Culture Award. Domestic routes flown by Aero include Abuja, Accra, Benin, Calabar, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt(Omagwa Int’l Airport), Port Harcourt (NAF Base), Owerri, Warri and Uyo.

In view of the numerous plane crashes, which have plagued the country over the past years, Arik Air which is West and Central Africa’s largest carrier has continued to lead in terms of its safety standards. As a reult of this 23 percent of the respondents chose Arik as their preferred airline.

Arik air has won several awards such as the Best Safety and Security Conscious Airline in West and Central Africa for four consecutive years (2010-2014) and the Best Airline in Africa, 2014.

Domestic routes flown by Arik in Nigeria include Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Benin, Enugu, Warri, Uyo, Yola, among others.

Despite the Dana plane crash in June 3, 2012 , which is the second deadliest crash in Nigeria, Dana is still a preferred airline by domestic travellers in Nigeria. Dana Airline is preferred by domestic travellers in Nigeria for its prompt flight departures as well as good quality service. Respondents from the survey commended the appearance and courteousness shown to passengers by Dana’s air crew, their meals, cabin cleanliness and seat comfort.

During the 2015 edition of Nigerian Customer Service Award (NCSA) held at Sheraton Lagos, Dana Airline beat all Nigerian airlines to emerge as the best customer service airline in Nigeria and Most Efficient Airline in 2014. Dana Airline’s domestic routes in Nigeria include Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Uyo.

Following an appeal from the Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Mohammed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should prolong the duration for the registration of Biometric Verification Number for officers of the Nigeria Armed Forces, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the extension to enable them access to their salaries.

Alhaji Suleiman Barau, Deputy Governor Operations, CBN revealed this to the Senate Committee on Appropriation when he appeared before them in Abuja. He also said that the bank understood the plight of military officers.

The Minister of Defense, Dan Ali Mohammed solicited support from the Senate Committee, pleading that the committee intervene and ensure that BVN registration for military operatives especially in the war front be extended. He explained that considering the circumstances, most soldiers and their families had it rough as they were unable to access their salaries before the deadline.

Dan-Ali said it was highly impossible for soldiers to leave the war front to go for the registration, as such they shouldn’t have to be punished further by being denied access to their accounts.

“Our soldiers in the field cannot access their money because of the BVN: our soldiers should be given extension so that they and their family can access their salary. “We need to appeal to the CBN governor if that can be done as it will enhance the morale of our soldiers,” he said.

The compulsory registration was extended by three months from June 30, 2015 to October 31 to provide ample time enough for millions of Nigerians to participate in the exercise. But as of the beginning of October, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that only 20 million out of the 52 million active bank accounts had been enrolled on the BVN network.

After the long awaited BVN deadline approached, registration continued even though CBN earlier stated that there would be no further extension of the exercise. The accounts of Nigerians who failed to meet the deadline were temporarily blocked, with the condition that they would be able to access their accounts upon registration

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) are currently the main source of job creation in Africa. They account for over 95% of firms and 60%-70% of employment. Despite this massive contribution to the economy, access to finance is still a major obstacle to the growth of the SME’s on the continent.

In view of this problem, an impact-focused equity crowdfunding portal, Malaik has been created to connect investors interested in impact investment opportunities and entrepreneurs raising equity finance. Malaik offers the global community clear and well-documented opportunities for high impact investing in African businesses, a chance to participate in Africa’s growth story.

Following the launch of Africa’s first impact focused equity crowd funding portal, Malaik, Ventures Africa spoke with the Founder and CEO, Uneku Atawodi to learn more about the portal.

Ventures Africa (VA): Why was Malaik founded?

Uneku Atawodi (UA): Malaik was founded because access to finance is a problem for entrepreneurs in Africa. So many inspiring African entrepreneurs that have amazing ideas, that deserve to be scaled don’t have funds because it’s risky for banks to give out loans to start-up businesses. Malaik helps to close that gap by selling equity in start-up businesses to interested investors.

VA: Can you tell us how long Malaik has been operating and how it works?

UA: Malaik is four months old from idea conception until date. We are proud to preview for the first time at the African Leadership network to the crowd fare. So here is how Malaik works, firstly you logon to our website and register as either an investor or an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur can apply to raise funds for their company through our platform while an investor can apply to be an investor. Once the investor is approved he would be able to see the batch of companies that have gone through our due diligence report and then put the amount he wishes invest. Our investment calculator would automatically calculate how many shares in the company that the investor would get for his investment. For example if the company is raising $100 000, and you invest up to 20% equity, you invest $10,000, you get 2% equity in that company.

VA: What makes Malaik different from other crowd funding portals?

UA: First Malaik is an equity crowd-funding portal, though it’s not just for not- for-profit businesses. We are actually helping businesses that are highly comfortable with the potential to provide a lot of impact and raise funding to scale. The difference is that we only put up companies that have a big attraction and are selling equity finance. As opposed to other crowd funding platforms, Malaik finds you a lead investor or you come with your own investor and if your company is open to the crowd on the platform we would have identified the lead investor. The lead investor takes a minimum of 25% of funds that the company is trying to raise and then the crowd can invest in the same deal terms. So, we allow the crowd to get fair value for their money because the lead investor would have invested their own money in and negotiated deal term.

VA: What are the risks involved in investing in Malaik, because as an investor you would want to know the risks involved in investing in a company?

UA: Once you go on the platform, you have to be approved to be a sophisticated investor. A sophisticated investor understands there is the risk of their shares being diluted and the risk of losing your money investing in startups. We also have a full list analysis that a sophisticated investor is required to understand and we don’t open up to people who don’t understand the basic principles of investing in startups.

VA: How much equity do investors get for their investment?

UA: Companies listed on Malaik decide how much money they want to raise in exchange for a certain percentage of its equity, and each investor’s equity interest will be proportionate to the size of their investment. So if a campaign raises $150,000 in exchange for 20% of its equity, and you invest $1,500 (1% of $150,000), you will receive 0.20% (1% of 20%) of the equity of the business.

VA: What are your Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks and how do you ensure that the identifications given to you are valid?

UA: Before you enter the platform to make investments, you are required to send us a proof of identification, which can be a passport or a driver’s license and your proof of address. We have stringent KYC checks, if they have any doubts that the person is not who they say they are after they have had a conversation with the risk analysis crew then we will not be allowed to give passwords.

VA: So, how much can one invest in a business?

UA: The minimum investment for a company is $1000 except where specified, if the company comes up and say they want to sell their shares at a higher minimum, then that would be written on the company’s page. On Malaik you are allowed to choose what company you want to invest in, and you are advised to spread your investment through and not put all your money in one company but spread your risk in investing in either two or three companies.

VA: Is it possible for an investor to cancel an investment?

UA: There is a stipulated time that you are allowed to cancel your investment. You are not allowed to cancel if the company is already hit for funding but prior to that, you can.

VA: Do you have specific sectors which you raise funds for on your platform?

UA: We like raising funds for all sectors. We don’t raise funds for companies we see as illegal businesses or immoral businesses. We raise funds for any high impact business. If you have a business that not only provides jobs for people but if you are going to hit them with the UN Sustainable Development Goals then those are the sought of businesses that we are interested in.

VA: Can you tell us about the impact tracker that you use and why it is unique?

UA: The impact trackers focus on companies that not only can be comfortable but can also provide economic impact to the areas where they operate. We track impact using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For example If an entrepreneur comes to us and say she will provide 500 jobs we’ll input that number in our impact tracker and then the entrepreneur is required to report every quarter what impact they’ve been able to have. We target many impact investments and we believe that companies that have trackable metrics can really help Africa hit its growth potential.

VA: In a situation where the company wasn’t able to provide a particular number of jobs as promised, what happens to that company?

UA: If you said you were going to provide 200 jobs by 2018 and you came back and said you’ve been able to provide 20 jobs, we will put that number into your impact tracker and all your investors will see that you have reached 10% of your total aim. So, the impact tracker is the dial that fills up as you hit your aim with what you initially reported to your crowd of investors.

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: FAAN Begins Passenger Screening For Diseases At Abuja Airport

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said it had intensified surveillance at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to checkmate "import" of infectious diseases.

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, FAAN's Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs, who disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that all agencies operating at the airport had been put on alert.

Yakubu said that the authority was working closely with the Port Health Services and other relevant agencies to ensure that all international passengers were properly screened on arrival.

She disclosed that FAAN's medical team had been put on red alert, adding that all staff had also been cautioned on the need to maintained restraints in their contact with passengers.

According to her, FAAN has sensitised all agencies' representatives in the airport on the need to watch out for any incoming passenger with either high fever, headache or body aches.

"The officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the rest have all been informed about this.

"Recently, we heard over the media that Ebola had resurfaced in Liberia; the head of the port health services in the airport consequently sent a circular to all agencies informing them to be alert.

"The circular also asked the staff to be wary of being too close to passengers," she said.

Yakubu said that health officials at the port had increased surveillance of passengers coming into the country through the international wing of the airport.

She said that the surveillance was currently being carried out at the international arrival area, but would be extended to the local wing.

An official of the port health services, who pleaded anonymity, said that the surveillance was a response to the reported case of Ebola in Liberia.

The official said all staff of the agencies at the airport had been advised to avoid close contact with arriving passengers before they were screened.

According to the official, health officials have also been reminded to always protect themselves before having contact with passengers by always wearing their gloves and other kits.

"And so far, the response has been very impressive because there is high level of compliance from the agencies.

"We will do everything within our power to make sure that the virus does not resurface in this country because we don't want to imagine that experience again," the source said, and urged passengers to cooperate with the authorities.

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: Why Profitable Flight Operations Not Achievable In Nigeria

How has doing business in this climate been?

We’ve been doing things to promote this economy, and we are not involved in dubious activities. We pray for every other airline everyday. We do not want the not-so-good stories of the past to happen again to any airline. In the last eleven months, we’ve airlifted over half a million passengers with five out of our seven aircraft, and that is very remarkable. Within the same period, Air Peace was called upon to undertake the development of a new route, which is the Kebbi International airport. This has never happened to a new airline in Nigeria. I believe it is because we showed strength, capacity and zeal towards doing the right thing.

Any plan to expand your operational scope to meet domestic needs? of passengers?

We started with five locations and later added Asaba to make it six. But when we discovered Asaba was a dangerous field, we pulled out. We were the first airline to do that because we have zero tolerance to anything unsafe. It was not an easy decision, but it was borne out of commitment to safety, above business considerations. I’m sure other airlines knew that Asaba runway is unsafe. I knew the Easterners wanted Air Peace so badly, but we had to take decision, when one day I flew there in an executive jet and I discovered that my plane was bumping on landing. I called my director of flight operations to refund passengers’ money. I also told him we must stop operations to Asaba. It was a decision taken with every sense of patriotism and commitment to safety. I’m sure it was when I gave a press conference that Asaba was an accident waiting to happen that the Federal Government decided to act. Aviation business is not all about making money; there is no money in it to start with. We are here to create jobs; this is my conviction. So, we replaced Asaba with Calabar.

About six months into our operations, we added two more aircrafts to our fleet, making it nine. Two months after, we acquired two more Boeing, making it eleven. However, we sold two of our jets to the British Airways. I doubt if that airline has ever bought used aircraft in Nigeria from another airline before. That this happened is a testimony to the fact that Air Peace is doing what others may not be doing. Our airline is being modeled after South West Airlines of the United States. If you ask my baggage handlers, where we are today, he or she can tell you. Communication trickles down, as it is not a one-man thing. ?One man may own the airline, but the governance structure of Air peace gives room for other people to contribute.

A young lady of less than 35 years is the Managing Director of Air Peace. I always recognise quality. I own Air Peace 100 percent with my wife and children. But in order to assure and ensure safety of the flying public in Nigeria, we decided to outsource maintenance. Everything about commercial flight operations is maintenance. Though you can buy a new plane today, but if you don’t follow maintenance schedule, the plane will crash. As it is key to safety, we decided to outsource our maintenance to BCT Aviation Maintenance Company, a UK based organisation. I brought them at a huge cost, and they are here in Nigeria, providing daily maintenance. They are so strict. The other day, some items in the First Aid box were missing; they grounded the plane and asked passengers to alight. We had to apologise to passengers for the delay. What is right must be done. At Air Peace, we don’t cut corners. We have the best pilots in the land. All the chief pilots of other airlines in this country are presently flying Air peace. So, they all have the experience.

How do you motivate your workforce?

If they are ill motivated, they can breech safety. If you owe a worker five months salary, he might be pushed into doing something bad. For instance, he can weigh a 50kg load and someone will give him N5, 000 bribery to load the luggage unto your aircraft to Abuja unaccompanied, which could turn out to be a bomb. At Air Peace, we don’t owe salaries, because we cut our coat according to the size of the material we have. We ensure that salaries are paid on the 25th of every month. If this falls on a Saturday, we pay it on the 24th, and if it falls on a Sunday, we pay it on the 23rd. These are not hidden facts. It is not because we have the money, but because I had the painful experience of being owed, where I served as a lawyer. So, I decided that when setting up my own company, I would not owe anybody. And from 1992, when I floated my company, I ensure that my staff were paid on the 25th of every month. I have carried on like that, not because my business principle is worker-friendly. I am a very proud person, so I don’t want somebody to ever come and say Allen Onyema owes me three months salary. Even the pilots are well remunerated, and they receive their salary as at when due. By doing so, you give them that comfort. So, safety begins with how well your staff is motivated.

Are there plans to expand your operational frontiers beyond Nigeria?

The Federal Government has granted another stretch to Air Peace. I don’t think any other airline in Nigeria got the approval to move beyond Nigeria in less than one year of operation, but we got it because we have proven our capability. Air Peace might be one year old, but we ensure that things are done appropriately. We have an expansion policy in sight. In the coming months, we will start hitting African nations. And of course, by next year, we would also like going international, to Asia and Europe.

Which African states are we looking at?

We have been given permission to go to Niger, Cote d’ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Senegal and Cameroun. In the long term, we are looking at Europe and Asia, and we believe that when the time comes, we would be allowed to do so. In fact, the government should allow any Nigerian airline that is ready to do all those things and bring revenue to this country. It will stop capital flight out of this country.

Are you processing IATA approval to enable you go international?

Of course, we’ve started our IATA workshop since almost two months now. They came to us, and we agreed and subscribed to it. They came from abroad to train our people. I’m sure within the first quarter of next year, we will be there.

What are the major challenges faced since you commenced operation?

First of all, within the industry itself, there is what we call devilish envy, which militates against unity and cooperation. We don’t speak with one voice. Secondly, government policies pose serious challenge. I have discovered that so many people advising government have no business doing so. There are so many people out there who call themselves stakeholders. They probably might have been in the industry, or are trained engineers and pilots. But that does not make them experts in the aviation business. If we don’t get policies right, we’ll continue to go down. Nigeria has had over 50 airlines, but only five or six are operating. That is not complimentary. And why have they gone down? While some of the faults could be traced to the owners, majority of the reasons are traceable to government policies. I am not talking about the present administration, but government over time. If this particular government does not look before it leaps, it may make the same mistakes. Because we have a lot of people out there, calling themselves experts, technocrats and stakeholders in the industry. They give government advice based on primordial sentiments.

Another challenge is that there are so many unviable airports in Nigeria. In the United States, anywhere you are going, the aircraft is full to capacity. But in Nigeria, this is not constant. When coming from Abuja, you can have full load, but going, you are flying an almost empty plane. Some airports have no one going there on certain days. We have over 170 million Nigerians, but less than one percent are flying. That is the number one factor militating against Nigerian airlines’ growth. All over the world, the price of fuel has gone down, but in Nigeria, the price has tripled.

Government should do something about it so that the airlines can grow. Airport infrastructure is another problem. Most of the airlines don’t fly at night, which means that by 6pm or 6:30pm, most of the planes must be on ground (AOG). But this should only occur, when there is technical fault. In Nigeria, it is not only technical problem that makes our aircraft AOG. The inadequacies of our airports create more AOG than technical issues. We pay through our nose to insure our aircraft. Abroad, it is cheaper to insure airplanes. But the insurance laws do not permit us to go out of Nigeria to insure our planes. It is Nigerian insurance companies that insure planes, and then they get underwriters from abroad. We paid over $1.6M to insure about four aircraft. Everything about aviation is computed in dollars. From N150 to a dollar, it has now become N235. You also buy spare parts and some members of the crew are paid in dollars monthly. To get the dollars to buy is a problem. We pay as much as 22.5 percent interest on some airplanes. In other climes, they get funding at single digit interest. Business all over the world thrives on credit. We need support.