The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Nigeria is no longer among the countries holding back airlines’ earnings, also referred to as blocked or trapped funds.

Kamil Al-Awadhi, IATA’s regional vice-president for Africa, the Middle East, and Europe (AME), made this known during a press briefing at the association’s latest annual general meeting (AGM).

He explained that although the issue of blocked funds still persists in the region, noticeable progress has been recorded in nations such as Nigeria, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

“Significant improvements have been made in Nigeria, Egypt and Ethiopia over the last year, with Nigeria no longer on the list of blocked funds countries,” the vice-president said.

He further noted that despite these advances, countries within the AME region still dominate the list of places with blocked funds. Mozambique currently holds the largest amount, followed by the XAF Zone (which includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon), then Algeria and Lebanon.

Al-Awadhi stated that as of April, the total amount of trapped airline revenue globally was $1.28 billion, up from $1.7 billion in October 2024.

He revealed that 29 countries in the AME region are currently withholding international airlines’ revenue, with $1.1 billion — or 85 percent of the global figure — blocked in Africa and the Middle East.

“… out of that, $919 million is tied up in African countries,” the vice-president added.

According to the data shared by the IATA official, the countries with the highest levels of blocked funds in the AME as of April include Mozambique ($205 million), the XAF Zone ($191 million), Algeria ($178 million), Lebanon ($142 million), and Angola ($84 million).

‘GOVERNMENTS SHOULD PRIORITISE AVIATION IN ACCESS TO FX’

Al-Awadhi expressed concern about the effects of unreleased funds and emphasized that consistent cash flow is critical to the sustainability of airline operations.

He explained that when airlines cannot retrieve their earnings, it greatly disrupts their services and limits the destinations they can cover.

“Reduced air connectivity hampers countries’ competitiveness, diminishes investor confidence and labels countries as a high-risk place to do business,” he added.

“Strong connectivity is an economic enabler and generates considerable economic and social benefits.

“We call on governments to prioritise aviation in the access to foreign exchange on the basis that air connectivity is a vital key economic catalyst for the country.”

The issue of blocked funds has been a longstanding point of contention between Nigeria and foreign airlines.

In 2023, Nigeria reportedly had the highest volume of trapped airline revenue globally due to a prolonged shortage of foreign exchange that affected several sectors.

This situation prompted some international airlines to halt operations in Nigeria and barred local travel agencies from issuing tickets.

Amid rising tensions, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), then led by Godwin Emefiele, disbursed $265 million to airlines in 2022 in a bid to ease the crisis in the aviation sector.

The current government continued the disbursements, releasing another $61.64 million as part of efforts to address the outstanding foreign exchange backlog, which was estimated to be around $7 billion.

In March 2024, the CBN announced that the FX backlog had been cleared, and IATA subsequently confirmed that Nigeria had settled 98 percent of the trapped funds owed to airlines.

The most recent figure for blocked funds in Nigeria stood at about $850 million.

The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, criticized Bode George, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, over his remarks about the party’s ground rent debt owed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

George had previously stated that Wike should have paid the outstanding ground rent to show his loyalty to the party, especially since the unpaid amount led to the closure of the PDP’s national headquarters.

However, during a live session with selected journalists on Monday, Wike responded that neither he nor George was responsible for paying the rent, as the debt was not under their names. He also mentioned that George himself owed the FCTA.

He said, “I read what he said. If an old man has no job, sit down in your house and read newspapers. Bode George said the PDP made me, and PDP gave me a national name. I agree.

“A party cannot make you; you are the one that will make the party popular to win an election. I agree that the PDP made me.”

Wike further stated that, in contrast to what has happened in Lagos, he had made significant efforts for the PDP, helping it win in Rivers State and at the federal level.

He said, “Ask Bode George, ‘Who did the PDP make in Lagos since 1999?’ Not anyone and then you are talking to me who has laboured, campaigned, and won for the party to be the major party in the state and at the national level.

“Meanwhile in your state, the party every day is crying, complaining from 1999. Even when we were in power, we knew what we did to make sure that PDP took over in Lagos. It didn’t work; even when Jonathan came, it didn’t work.”

While appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on May 29, 2025, George expressed disappointment that Wike, a PDP member and Minister of the FCT, was in charge when the FCTA sealed the party’s headquarters.

“What is ₦7 million? He should have just said to them, ‘Okay, ₦7 million, I’ll pay from my pocket. Take the receipt back to the party’s secretariat. You see, you people are foolish.

“‘I’m completely committed to this house; I am completely loyal to this house. I will not decimate it. This is the receipt, give me back my money.’ That is what you call a true son of that family,” he added.

Last Monday, the FCTA sealed the PDP national headquarters, also called Wadata Plaza, as part of an operation involving the revocation of 4,794 properties due to non-payment of ground rent over periods ranging from 10 to 43 years.

The properties affected included those belonging to government bodies, companies, and individuals.

After President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, defaulters were given an additional 14 days to clear their outstanding ground rent payments and any penalties that applied.

Senator Orji Kalu, who serves as the representative for Abia North, has called on President Bola Tinubu to dismiss certain ministers and security chiefs, citing their ineffectiveness and minimal contributions to the nation’s progress.

During an appearance on Politics Today, a programme broadcast on Channels Television on Monday, Kalu shared his evaluation of the current federal cabinet.

“Some people working with President Tinubu should be relieved of their duties. Some of them should go — both from the security sector and among the ministers,” he said.

The former Governor of Abia State also encouraged the President to take “bold decisions” to better align his leadership with the expectations of Nigerians.

“President Tinubu must be courageous enough to sack some of these ministers. If he takes my advice — most of these ministers, I’ve appraised them and talked to him privately — most of them should go, and that is the truth,” he stated.

He further emphasized that some security officials should also be replaced in order to effectively tackle the country’s pressing issues.

“If he takes my advice, some of the security chiefs will also go. There is no sentiment about redeeming Nigeria if we really want to relieve Nigeria,” he said.

Cabinet Size, Reshuffles

When President Tinubu came into power on May 29, 2023, he named 45 ministers, the highest number since the nation returned to civilian rule in 1999.

The appointments sparked mixed reactions and sparked debate across the country.

In October 2024, the President conducted a significant reshuffling of his cabinet. He dismissed five ministers, brought in seven new ones, and reassigned ten others to different roles.

These changes impacted key ministries, such as those responsible for education, tourism, women’s affairs, youth development, and housing.

One notable change was the renaming of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development. Additionally, the Ministry of Sports was dissolved, and the ministries overseeing tourism and arts and culture were combined.

‘Nigerians Still Suffering’

Following the elimination of the fuel subsidy in 2023, Nigerians have dealt with soaring fuel costs, an increased cost of living, and economic adjustments that have led to short-term difficulties.

While addressing the current state of the nation’s economy, Kalu acknowledged that the President’s reforms are in motion but argued that many Nigerians are yet to feel the benefits.

“The macro side is coming, but the other downsides are not coming very well. Nigerians in the lower area are still suffering. They have not started having the benefit of the changes President Tinubu is making,” Kalu stated.

He cautioned that although changes are happening, their positive effects would take time to be fully felt. He also noted that ongoing security issues were hindering economic progress.

“The changes are trickling down — it’s going to take another one to two years for the changes to come. And what is causing it is because insurgencies and the problems all over Nigeria are still making people not go to the farm. Some people working with Tinubu should be relieved of their duties,” he added.