Travel/Tourism
Airlines, Passengers Count Losses as Workers Shut Down Aviation Sector
By Adedapo Adesanya
Passengers, airlines, and the government are counting their losses as flights have been affected in the country as employees from seven trade unions are demanding better working conditions.
They have blocked access to the country’s largest airports in Lagos and Abuja, on the first day of the strike on Monday, with local and international air passengers stranded.
Their action has been projected to cost heavily on the aviation sector as the country grapples with rising costs and fuel shortages.
Speaking on Channels TV on Tuesday, the General Secretary of one of the unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Mr Ocheme Aba, said the strike continued after the meeting of Sunday was deadlocked.
He said this is so “because nobody could give a guarantee of when the Conditions of Service for the agencies will be released. So, we were also unable to give any assurances of not going on strike.”
“However, we understand that the Salaries and Wages Commission has also convened another meeting with the agencies today. We are not invited to the meeting so we don’t know what discussions are ongoing and how that will pan out or is relevant to the situation at hand.
“Secondly, with regards to aviation being an essential service provider, this is a fallacy; it’s not correct at all.
“The International Labour Organisation, through its official instrument of action, has already defined what essential service is and has also clearly defined that aviation is not an essential services provider except the services provided through air control,” he added.
The NUATE secretary said an essential service provider is one through which its withdrawal can affect the lives of groups of people.
He said, “Aviation does not provide such service except through air traffic control,” he explained.
“For example, if an air traffic controller says an airplane should not land, you might be putting to risk the people who are in the aircraft. But when you say aircraft should not take off, you are not putting anybody’s life at risk, and the services that airlines provide are not different from the services that Ekenedilichukwu or any transport company provides,” he added.
Mr Aba also said the National Industrial Court has ruled that aviation and airlines do not render essential services.
“Nigerian doctors have been constantly going on strike without any talk about essential services. So, this talk about essential services is neither here nor there,” the union executive insisted.
The new Act of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) states that industrial actions are illegal as aviation is classified as an essential service.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce V-Pass, a biometric facial recognition system designed to make passenger processing faster, safer and more seamless across its domestic airports.
According to FAAN, the new technology will allow passengers to verify their identities through facial recognition after a one-time enrolment, reducing reliance on physical identification documents and shortening queues through automated electronic gates.
The authority said the system is expected to enhance airport security while improving the overall travel experience for domestic passengers.
FAAN added that V-Pass has been developed with data privacy at its core and is compliant with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The agency described the initiative as part of its commitment to delivering smarter, technology-driven airport services and said nationwide sensitisation and rollout updates would be announced in due course.
Airports in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates already deploy facial recognition technology for processes such as check-in, security screening, immigration and boarding, so the move also aligns Nigeria’s aviation sector with a growing global trend towards contactless travel.
These systems have been adopted to improve operational efficiency, strengthen security and enhance the overall passenger experience.
For FAAN, the deployment of V-Pass forms part of its broader digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising airport operations and accommodating rising passenger traffic.
Experts say that beyond improving convenience, the authority expects the biometric platform to strengthen identity verification, reduce the risk of impersonation and support more efficient airport security, while maintaining compliance with data protection.
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.
