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Three Years After Unveiling, FG Fixes April 2022 Take Off Date For Air Nigeria

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Three years after it was unveiled, the Federal Government on Wednesday said Air Nigeria, the proposed national carrier will take off April 2022.

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika announced the take-off date while briefing state house correspondents after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He said the national carrier will be run by a company in which the Nigerian government will hold a five percent stake while Nigerian entrepreneurs will hold 46 percent.

He said the remaining 49 percent will be reserved for yet to be assigned strategic equity partners, including foreign investors.

Sirika said the national carrier, when operational, will create about 70,000 jobs for Nigerians.

Sirika recalled that over 400,000 Nigerians participated in choosing the name which was launched in 2018.

“Today (Wednesday) in Council civil aviation presented two memoranda. The first one is approval for the award of contract for the provision of Automated Civil Aviation Regulatory Equipment, including software support and training, which will be located in Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport

“In summary, this is a software that will allow all of the activities of civil aviation regulation to be done electronically on one platform, including payments, including follow-ups on personnel licensing, the medicals, the economic regulation of airlines, safety regulation of airlines and all other businesses within the envelope of civil aviation will be monitored by this single software.

“It is called ‘the truth machine’ in the quotation in Europe because all of the truth of regulation of civilization will appear on this platform, it’s an extremely important software that the world has now come to terms with.

“The contract was given to Messrs. Arif Investment Nigeria Limited, who are representatives of Empik GmbH. This Empik are the creators of this software, one of its kind in the world, at the sum of N1,492,520,325, which will be including 7.5% VAT and a completion period of six months. So that’s the first memoranda.

“The next one also is approval of the outline business case for the establishment of the national carrier and this is the sixth time the memorandum appeared before Council. The sixth time, we got lucky to be passed by Council.

“The structure of the proposed airline; the government will be owning not more than 5%. So 5% is the maximum equity that government will take, then 46% will be owned by Nigerian entrepreneurs. So, if you add that, it’s 51%. So, it’s 51% majority shareholding by Nigerians and then 49% will be held by strategic equity partners or partners that will be sourced during the procurement phase, which is the next phase.

“This airline, if started, and within the first few years will generate about 70,000 jobs. These 70,000 jobs are higher than the total number of civil servants that we have in the country. Its importance had been well discussed so, I’ll not go back to it. You had discussed it separately also on various fora as to the need for it.

“But one important item is the AU agenda 2063, which speaks to the integration of Africa, which speaks to the cause and trade within Africa that is intra-Africa and to which also another flagship project of AU agenda 2063 called the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

“Now, the only way, the quickest way that you can integrate Africa is by air because if you want to interconnect all the 54 nations of Africa, via rail or road, or waterways, which is even impossible, the quantum of money that you need to do all of these, the time it will take to develop this infrastructure, as well as the maintenance cost, is almost prohibitive.

“It’s doable, it’s time-taking, but with aviation, within a year, once the right policy is in place, like SAATM, you can connect Africa, and then, of course, the needed integration will happen. Part of AU agenda 2063 So, these are the two memoranda that were submitted, and gladly they were passed by Council.

“The name is Nigeria Air which of course, if you remember back in time, this was subject to a national debate and 400,000 people participated, choose the name, the colour, the logo, everything and it was produced that time. It was launched also in Farnborough as far back as 2018.

“So, the business case is a public document. It will be on our website, you can download it and we can give you copies. This airline will pick up and start, by God’s grace, on or before April 2022.”

Asked if the April date is certain, he said: “Well, the best case is that the airline will pick up that period, April 2022 all things being equal. But since it’s an outline of the business we will follow the outline of the business.

“It is our hope and desire that it starts on April. It can be sacrosanct records but it’s dependent upon other factors since we are going to the market right away.”

In 2018, the federal government unveiled Nigeria Air, at the Farnborough International Public Airshow in London.

The federal government later suspended the proposed airline.

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, had said the project was suspended due to investor apathy.

If successful, the airline will be coming almost 18 years after Africa’s largest economy shut down Nigerian Airways due to perceived corruption and maladministration.

BIG STORY

Obasa Redeems N100,000 Cash Promise To 500 Secondary School Students

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For 500 students from public schools across Lagos’ six education districts, Christmas arrived early. During events marking his birthday in November, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, promised a cash gift of ₦100,000 to each student who attended to celebrate with him, sparking waves of excitement among them. Speaker Obasa has redeemed his promise, giving the students a December to remember.

Dr. (Mrs.) Sherifat Abiodun Adedoyin, a member of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), announced the redemption of the cash gift. “Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has graciously redeemed his promise of ₦100,000 each for 500 students across Lagos State. This generous commitment was made during his recent birthday celebration on November 11, 2025, and it truly highlights his steadfast dedication to enhancing education and the well-being of children in Lagos State.”

Adedoyin stated further, “We deeply appreciate this wonderful gesture, which will significantly help meet the educational needs of the students and promote academic excellence. May this act of kindness continue to inspire hope and create a positive impact in our community.”

The ₦50 Million Educational Support, according to the Speaker, is an investment in the future of the public secondary school students, representing invaluable opportunities for education, vocational training, and entrepreneurship.

Indeed, at the pre-birthday event, themed “The Youth: Striving to Greater Heights,” which brought together students from across the state, Speaker Obasa’s empowerment initiative turned a personal milestone into a defining moment for youth development in the state.

He also seized the opportunity to inspire and challenge the youth, reminding them that challenges harbour lots of opportunities and that it takes laser-like focus, perseverance, and a steadfast faith in God to pull through.

“This personal journey is not just my story; it is a message to every young person here and those watching across various platforms. It is a wake-up call- a call to rise, to believe in yourself, and pursue your dreams with passion and determination.

“The sky is not the limit; it is only the beginning when you choose to unlock your potential and embrace the opportunities that abound in our great nation.”

Speaker Obasa capped the day with the announcement of a structured mentorship program to pair young talents with seasoned professionals, which he described as a pathway to sustained growth and impact. “This isn’t just inspiration, it’s a pathway to greatness,” he affirmed.

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BIG STORY

Peter Obi Is A ‘Character-In-Chief’, I Know The Junction Where Madman Who Advised Him Stayed In Anambra —- Bwala

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Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, has mocked Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, describing him as a “character-in-chief”.

Speaking in an interview on The Clarity Zone Podcast anchored by Chinedu Emmanuel, popularly known as Nedu, Bwala said Obi was engaging in theatrics.

He was responding to a claim that the former governor of Anambra described him as a ‘character’.

“In the movie, the actor is a character. He is actually the character-in-chief, because what he’s playing is what we call theatrics,” Bwala said.

“You are demonstrating a fictitious picture of a reality that will never exist. I think that is the hope he sold to his people.

“So, after the election, when they saw reality dawn, and he lost the election, they couldn’t manage the picture of the fantasy that was painted in their mind, and they ran berserk.”

“They are all over the media now… they don’t have a particular platform where they stay. They migrate and abuse people. And that is because leadership is not easy.

“Leadership is a sacrifice. All these politicians you see, from President Bola Tinubu, and some other politicians who are not up to him, do a lot of sacrifice to build a base; a base that can resonate with them.”

Bwala also responded to Obi’s claim that he has never been to Anambra, saying he could even describe the road leading to the former LP presidential candidate’s house in the state.

The presidential aide further joked that he knew where the mentally unstable man, whom Obi said gave him advice while he was governor of the state, stayed.

Bwala’s remarks followed a statement Obi made in the build-up to the 2023 elections, in which he recounted how a piece of advice from a mentally unstable man helped him resolve a major security challenge during his tenure as governor of Anambra.

“And he also said, I have never been to Anambra; I can tell you the road that leads to his house. Peter Obi is from Agulu,” he said.

“From Nnewi, you have Umudim, Nnewichi, Uruagu, and Otolo. I can take you to places in the east. I even know the junction where the madman that used to advise him used to stay, very close to Upper Iweka.

“How can he say I have never been to Anambra?”

 

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BIG STORY

Fubara’s Impeachment Process On Course, Not Suspended —– Rivers Assembly

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The Rivers House of Assembly says the impeachment process against Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, and Ngozi Odu, his deputy, is on course.

On Thursday, the state parliament commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy.

The lawmakers launched the process after Major Jack, Leader of the assembly, read gross misconduct charges against Fubara, signed by 26 members of the house.

On Friday, reports claimed that the Rivers State House of Assembly had suspended the impeachment process against the governor.

Responding to the reports in a statement, Enemi George, chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions, and Complaints, said notices of gross misconduct have been forwarded to Fubara and Odu, noting that lawmakers are awaiting their responses.

George maintained that the process has not been suspended or discontinued, describing the reports as false narratives aimed at misleading the public and causing disaffection.

“We are aware that certain persons and media platforms are at it again to misinform the public, particularly to the effect that the process has been halted or discontinued,” the statement reads.

“Some are trending false narratives to cause disaffection between the House and well-meaning Nigerians. Therefore, with the leave of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule DSSRS.

“I call on all and sundry to disregard their antics, as their actions have already failed. We remain committed to our constitutional duties and will not be dissuaded by cheap blackmail or threats from those who do not have our country’s nascent democracy at heart.

George asked the public to disregard what he described as antics, saying the house would not be deterred by “cheap blackmail or threats” and remains committed to its constitutional duties.

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