Travel/Tourism
Emirates, Air Peace Enhance Seamless Global Connectivity
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Two key players in the Nigerian aviation industry, Emirates and Air Peace, have activated a bilateral interline agreement aimed to expand air connectivity between Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and London.
The two airline operators are building on their existing partnership to offer their passengers frictionless, single-ticket travel and with through-checked baggage, on select routes, resulting in greater travel comfort and convenience for customers.
Beyond the 13 cities in Nigeria already available for Emirates passengers on Air Peace’s network, the enhanced interline agreement now enables travellers to connect with Banjul in Gambia and Dakar in Senegal, both via Abidjan; and with Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia, both via Accra. The additional gateways allow more passengers in Africa to access Emirates world-class product and services, and vast global network.
The agreement allows Air Peace to connect its extensive West and Central African route system into Emirates’ hub in Dubai, and on key destinations including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and London Stansted, Abidjan, Accra and, of course, Lagos.
With huge demand for travel between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, providing Air Peace passengers with increased choice, flexibility, and global reach.
Emirates operates a Boeing 777-300ER on its Dubai-Lagos route, providing travellers with one of the best experiences in the sky.
Passengers can dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages, while tuning in to over 6,500 channels of global entertainment – including Nollywood classics – on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
As one of only two airlines operating a First Class cabin into Nigeria, Emirates offers an unrivalled travel experience defined by comfort, privacy and luxurious touches.
With a fleet of over 50 aircraft including Boeing 777s, Boeing 737s, Embraers, Air Peace operates an expanding network of domestic, regional, and international services, connecting major cities across Africa and beyond.
The airline remains committed to strengthening intra-African connectivity, supporting trade and tourism, and contributing meaningfully to economic development across the continent.
“Enhancing our interline partnership with Air Peace allows us to expand our footprint across more of Africa, creating new opportunities for people to fly better with Emirates, while helping international tourists explore more of the region, via Lagos.
“We remain committed to working with strategic partners such as Air Peace to further strengthen Nigeria’s aviation, tourism and trade sectors,” the Chief Commercial Officer for Emirates, Mr Adnan Kazim, said.
His counterpart at Air Peace, Nowel Ngala, while commenting, said, “This interline agreement with Emirates represents a major step in Air Peace’s strategic vision to connect Africa more efficiently to global markets.
“By combining our strong regional presence with Emirates’ extensive international network, we are delivering seamless connectivity, improved travel experience, and greater access to key global destinations for African travellers. This partnership further reinforces Air Peace’s role as a critical bridge between Africa and the global aviation ecosystem.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation (Transcorp Group), Transcorp Hotels Plc, has posted its unaudited results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026.
In the results submitted to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, it was shown that the performance for the period was driven by disciplined cost management and continued operational excellence despite moderated revenue, with post-tax profit rising by 21 per cent to N10.5 billion from N8.7 billion in the same period of 2025.
However, due to softer market demand in its International Business segment, revenue for the period moderated to N44.4 billion from N46.9 billion in Q2 2025, though Operating Expense Margin improved by 3 percentage points, demonstrating continued operational efficiency and prudent cost management.
These results validate Transcorp Hotels’ resilience and focus on operational excellence, cost efficiency, and customer-centric innovation, reinforcing its leadership in Nigeria’s hospitality sector.
Commenting on the results, the chief executive of Transcorp Hotels, Ms Uzoamaka Oshogwe, said, “Our Q2 2026 performance reflects the resilience of our business and the disciplined execution of our strategy in a dynamic operating environment.
“While market conditions remained challenging, we continued to deliver strong profitability by staying focused on operational excellence, commercial agility, and creating exceptional experiences for our guests.
“We remain committed to strengthening our market leadership, investing strategically in our business, and delivering sustainable long-term value for our shareholders.”
Also, the Chief Finance Officer of Transcorp Hotels, Oluwatobiloba Ojediran, said, “Our disciplined approach to cost management, revenue optimisation, and operational execution delivered a 12 per cent increase in Profit Before Tax to N13.7 billion, alongside a 21 per cent growth in Profit After Tax to N10.5 billion, compared with N8.7 billion in the corresponding period last year.
“These strong financial results reinforce the resilience of our business, provide a solid platform for sustainable growth, and position us to continue investing strategically while delivering long-term value for our shareholders.”
Beyond the numbers, Transcorp Hotels continues to strengthen its portfolio of iconic assets. Transcorp Hilton Abuja remains one of the company’s flagship properties, while Transcorp Centre, one of West Africa’s largest purpose-built event and conference venues, is fast becoming a landmark for business, tourism, and world-class events in Nigeria.
Since its launch, the venue has hosted several landmark gatherings, further cementing its position as a premier venue for high-profile corporate and social gatherings.
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.
