Travel/Tourism
Heritage Bank Honoured for Supporting Tourism Industry
By Dipo Olowookere
Heritage Bank Plc has once again proven to be Nigeria’s most innovative banking service provider, as Institute for Tourism Professionals, organisers of the National Tourism Transport Summit and Expo 2018 (NTTS), crowned Heritage Bank the best ‘Financial Institution, for Outstanding Support for Tourism.’
The award, according to the organizers, was in recognition of the contribution of the bank to the growth and development of the tourism industry over the years.
Receiving the award on behalf of the bank at the Gala night in Abuja, the MD/CEO, Mr Ifie Sekibo, who was represented by Mr George Oko-Oboh, Regional Executive, Abuja & North, said it was a well-deserved honour for the bank, because over the years the bank had believed in tourism and had tried as much as possible to increase its support to the sector.
He disclosed that the bank is partnering with stakeholders and plans to increase its investment in the sector in the years ahead.
Mr Sekibo said, “It is a well-deserved award for the bank because over the years the bank has believed in tourism and we always keep trying as much as possible to support the tourism sector. Over the years we think it is something we have done with a quite a number of stakeholders and we have done that quite well.
“In the coming years, we should expect more of better handshake. We intend to do more; because looking at what they are trying to achieve here now, we have seen that they are trying to take in much into the other sectors. We think we would still be there for them.
“The sector is quite lucrative, but for us, what we are doing basically is like partnership. That is what we have done with them over the years. We have done quite a few investments in the sector.”
Also speaking on the award, a member of the Local Organising Committee of the NTTS, Mr Kayode Adesola, said several banks were selected for the honour, but Heritage Bank emerged the winner because of its unique approach and support for operators in the industry.
He said, “It is not as if the banks have given money to operators, but there have been some banks that have been of help to some of the players in the industry; like the travel agents, tour operators and others.
“In giving out this particular award, we consider the fact that banks such as Heritage Bank and a few others had been helping to facilitate smooth engagements in the industry. For instance, some the banks serve as guarantors; they give us bank guarantee to be able to cope with the requirement outside there to operate as travel professionals.
“There are several banks involved in these, but after some vetting by the committee in charge, they decided to give the award to the bank the cap fits, which is Heritage Bank in this instance.”
Mr Adesola, who is also the Vice President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents (NANTA) Abuja Zone, stated that over the years, the tourism business in Nigeria had suffered many challenges and neglect, especially from government, mostly in the area of poor funding and poor infrastructure.
However, he said the present administration, spurred by the support of financial institutions, had increased its collaboration with private sector players in the tourism industry
He said, “Now, the government thought of partnering with us in order to synergise together and move the tourism potentials of this country to the next level. That is one of the reasons why we decided to put together the transport and tourism sector together because we came to realize now that the two have to work hand in hand.”
He further called for increased support from financial institutions and governments at all levels, especially in creating enabling environment for operators to thrive.
“If government can just leave the private sector to run tourism and support us then I think the tourism sector in Nigeria would contribute more to the economy of this country,” he noted.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 14.12 per cent stake in Ikeja Hotel Plc has been acquired by Honeywell Group Limited, a notice on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has revealed.
Honeywell Group took up the part of the hospitality firm through one of its affiliates known as HGL Real Estate Limited.
Ikeja Hotel, in the disclosure filed with the NGX on July 2, 2026, said the stake comprised 305,323,525 units of its equities.
“Ikeja Hotel hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the general public that it has received notification from HGL Real Estate Limited, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Limited, that it has acquired 305,323,525 units of Ikeja Hotel Plc’s shares, representing 14.12 per cent shareholding in the company,” the notice stated.
Ikeja Hotel is one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality investment and hotel management companies with premium hospitality assets.
It operates two leading hospitality organisations in Lagos, the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Balmoral Convention Centre.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 10 hospitality establishments, including hotels and restaurants, were sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The affected businesses are located in different locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the metropolis, Business Post learned from a statement from the agency.
It was stated that they were sealed by LASEPA for persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and several opportunities to comply with the agency’s directives.
According to the notice, the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the directives of the Lagos State government to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and to safeguard public health.
The affected facilities were said to have breached various environmental regulations, including noise pollution, air pollution, unlawful discharge of untreated effluent, obstruction of official duties, among others.
LASEPA closed the premises of Granduer Meridian at Obasa Akiniyi Street, Oluwaga, Ipaja for non-compliance with the agency’s directives; Lasola (Spazio Bar), located on Ipaja Road, Fatolu Bus Stop, Ipaja, was sealed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives; Millennium Restaurant, located at Gate Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo, was shut down for non-compliance with directives; O2 Exquisite Suites & Tower on Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; and Chirozz Hotel & Suites, located on Samuel Street, Akowonjo, by Vulcanizer Bus Stop, Egbeda, was closed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives.
In addition, House 7 Hotel, located at Remi Akande Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with LASEPA’s directives; House 48 on Isiba Oluwo Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; Exclusive Hotel, located at Ishan Kimishe, Akesan Bus Stop, was shut down by non-compliance with directives; Sabola Ventures Limited, Iocated at Km 11, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, was shut down for operating without evidence of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and discharging untreated effluent into public drains; and City Int’l Motel, located at Chief Olu-Adegbite Street, off Oladun Street, Council Bus Stop, Idimu, was sealed for non-compliance with directives.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Emirates has become the first airline cargo carrier to deploy the Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger-to-freighter converted aircraft.
The aircraft (A6-EBK) will enter commercial service with a flight from Hong Kong to Dubai carrying over 100 tonnes of cargo, a statement from the airline operator stated.
The converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF offers 100 tonnes of payload capacity and 811 m³ of cargo volume, representing a 25 per cent increase in cargo volume over the Boeing 777-F production freighter.
At 47 pallet positions, the converted aircraft also accommodates 10 additional pallet positions when compared with the Boeing 777-F production freighter, making it ideal for transporting volumetric cargo such as e-commerce goods, which currently constitute around 20 per cent of global air cargo tonnage with further growth projected in the next few years.
The converted Boeing 777-300ERSF is the sixth new freighter, following five Boeing 777-F production freighters, to join Emirates SkyCargo’s fleet since March 2026.
As part of its ambitious expansion strategy, Emirates SkyCargo will also be taking delivery of five additional Boeing 777-F aircraft as well as one additional converted Boeing 777-300ERSF by December 2026.
Emirates SkyCargo will also be introducing three additional converted Boeing 777-ERSFs into its fleet in 2027.
“The induction of the first converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF into operational service represents the next step in the expansion of our fleet and operational agility.
“We are optimising our fleet assets by converting older Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to meet the growing demand for air cargo capacity to transport goods rapidly across the world,” Emirates SkyCargo’s Divisional Senior Vice President, Badr Abbas, commented.
“Combined with our growing fleet of Boeing 777-F production freighters, we have already been able to scale our global freighter network from just over 40 destinations in February this year to 62 destinations currently and growing.
“We are providing our global customers with scalable cargo capacity and ultimate flexibility and connectivity when moving cargo to and through our hub in Dubai,” Abbas added.
