Travel/Tourism
FG Moves to Eliminate Multiple Tax System in Transportation Sector
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has disclosed plans to eliminate multiple taxations in the transportation sector to reduce the cost of doing business in the country.
This is according to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, at a two-day conference and exhibition organised by the National Transportation Technology Conference and Exhibition (NTTCE) on Wednesday in Lagos.
She said that streamlining the various taxation in the sector was necessary to enhance growth and development.
The theme of the conference was Intergovernmental cooperation between federal and sub-nationals in seamless policy, regulation and tax regimes: The role of the natural gas expansion programme.
Mrs Ajani said that multiple taxations were inimical to business development and sustainability, noting that one of the problems affecting the sector was unregulated taxation which had affected the cost of doing business in the country.
She said the law that governed the transportation sector in the country accommodated the roles of the federal, state and local governments.
Mrs Ajani said that it was left for a particular level of government to choose the type of segment to cover such as motor parks, and licenses for both divers and vehicles, among others.
“What we find happening is that there are multiple road stickers being sold by different groups of people to road users.
”So, this tends to increase the cost of doing business on road transportation and must be regulated.
“Those purporting that the Federal Ministry of Transportation gave them the approval to collect money on its behalf is not correct,” Mrs Ajani said.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Frederic Oladeinde, commended the efforts of the federal government in addressing multiple taxations in the sector, adding that the development would help the state governments in their transport policies.
He said that technology was the way forward in driving the sector to make it more efficient and effective.
“We have deployed a lot of technology in Lagos, we are talking about the Cowry cards to integrate the mode of transportation.
“We are looking at integrating timetable of the mode of transport to cut down waiting time,” he said.
The Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Corp Commander, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, said that the corps had been using technology to improve its mode of operation.
He said that technology had helped in reducing response time to crash scenes and electronic ticketing in the issuance of tickets for traffic offenders.
He said that the corps would continue to ensure that our roads are safe and crash-free.
The Secretary of the Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’ Forum, Mrs Chinwe Uwaegbute, said the conference had brought all the key stakeholders in the transportation sector together for policy to drive the industry forward.
She said: “The conference brought out many issues such as challenges of double taxation, need for interconnectivity for all modes of transportation for ease of doing business.
“The outcome of this conference would chart a course for better growth and development of this sector.
“The Federal Ministry of Transportation is also part of this conference and we are hopeful that the points raised here will be used to generate policies that will aid growth in the sector.”
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.
