Travel/Tourism
Hadi Sirika Accuses Lawmaker of Demanding 5% Stake in Nigeria Air
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The immediate past Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, has accused the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Mr Nnolim Nnaji, of demanding a 5 per cent stake in controversial Nigeria Air.
Mr Sirika made this allegation while appearing on Arise TV’s ThisDay Live on Sunday evening, monitored by Business Post.
About a day to the end of the tenure of the immediate past President, Mr Muhammadu Buhari, the former Minister launched the national carrier in Abuja.
This raised dust in the media, compelling the House of Representatives to conduct a hearing, where the acting Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Mr Dapo Olumide, declared that the chartered Ethiopia Airlines aircraft showcased as Nigeria Air was brought in to let Nigerians know how the logo would be on a real aeroplane.
At the hearing, Mr Nnaji declared the launch of Nigeria Air a fraud, charging President Bola Tinubu to probe the process and prosecute those involved in the sham.
But on Sunday, Mr Sikira said the lawmaker described the process as a fraud because he was not allowed to own a 5 per cent stake in Nigeria Air Limited.
“On the issue of Honourable Nnaji, who called Nigeria Air launch a fraud, I will respond now. I will say exactly what I told him in private when we spoke.”
“Hon Nnaji asked me that I give him 5% of Nigeria to carry him along with his people, and I told him at that time, Honourable, a bidding process that has taken place, and some people won. So, I think you should go to those people and ask for the 5 per cent,” he said.
When asked by the show anchor, Mr Reuben Abati, if the bribe was for committee members, Mr Sirika said, “Let’s be fair, Hon Nnaji didn’t say other members. He said he wanted it for himself and his people.
“His people could be his family, could be members, and it could be leadership. I don’t know, but he insisted on 5 per cent. I said that he should relax and approach the owners. That’s exactly what I told him.”
Recall that at the end of the hearing by the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Mr Nnaji said the parliament was not part of the controversial Nigeria Air project because the process was not transparent.
“A careful review of the process indicates the exercise to be highly opaque, shrouded in secrecy, shoddy and capable of ridiculing and tarnishing the image of Nigeria before the international community,” he said.
The lawmaker criticised Ethiopia Airlines for its role in the process.
“We are equally irked by the role played by Ethiopian Airlines in this whole process. It does not speak well of the excellent brotherly relationship existing between our two nations,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has commenced an investigation into pricing templates behind high ticket rates charge by some airlines on some domestic routes.
A statement issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs of the commission, Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, in Abuja said the investigation was to establish possible violations of the provisions of the law.
Mr Ijagwu said that concerns had been expressed widely in the past few days over what appeared to be coordinated manipulation or exploitation in the pricing of airline tickets by some airlines on certain routes, adding that the routes where concerns had been raised included the South-East and South-South, as the festive season began.
According to him, the ongoing investigation targets operators on the identified routes.
He said the commission would apply appropriate enforcement measures where evidence showed any violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
Mr Ijagwu explained that Air Peace, had instituted a court action seeking to restrain the agency from examining its pricing mechanisms, following the commencement of an investigation into its pricing model after widespread complaints from members of the public.
He said the ongoing inquiry was without prejudice to the case instituted against the Commission by Air Peace.
The director quoted the vice chairman of FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, as saying “the commission would not hesitate to act where evidence showed that consumers welfare or market competitiveness were being undermined.
”For the avoidance of doubt, we are not a price control board but the FCCP Act 2018 empowers us to check the exploitation of consumers.
”When we receive petitions or where we find cogent evidence, we will not stand by and watch Nigerian consumers being exploited under any guise.
”Given the arbitrary spike in airfares, the Commission is extending its review of pricing patterns, the basis for the increases reported by consumers, and any practices that could undermine fair competition.
”Where evidence confirms a breach of the Act, FCCPC will apply appropriate enforcement measures,” Mr Bello said, promising that the organisation will continue to provide updates on the ongoing investigations in the aviation industry.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A travel card designed for tourists, business visitors, Diaspora returnees has been launched by Verve in partnership with Providus Bank.
Known as the ProvidusVerve Travel Card, the Naira-based travel card will allow inbound travellers to enjoy a smooth, secure, and convenient payment experience throughout their stay in Nigeria. It was powered by Verve’s secure.
Created to support the surge of tourists, expatriates, business visitors, conference delegates, and returning diaspora expected during the festive Detty December season, the ProvidusVerve Travel Card enables seamless payments for transportation, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment, and everyday essentials nationwide.
The card also works on select global merchant platforms that accept Verve, including Netflix, Google Play, and other digital services, ensuring travellers enjoy uninterrupted access to familiar services.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card eliminates the hassle of sourcing naira or converting foreign currency on arrival. It enables instant, secure transactions, reduces reliance on cash, and supports compliance with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It also mitigates the risks associated with carrying physical cash such as loss, theft, or fraud, offering a safe, regulation-aligned option for both online and in-person payments.
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card is a timely solution for inbound travellers seeking reliability, security, and simplicity while navigating Nigeria.
“Together with Providus Bank, we have created a product that eliminates the friction traditionally associated with accessing local payments.
“Whether for tourism, business, or festive activities, this card ensures a smooth financial experience from the moment visitors land,” the Vice President for Issuing and Acquiring Management for Africa at Verve International, Mr Paul Ohakim, stated.
On his part, the Divisional Head for Product Management and Solution Delivery at Interswitch, Mr Ademola Adeniran, described the partnership as a reflection of “Verve’s commitment to designing products that respond to real user needs.”
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card supports everyday experiences — from booking rides and hotels to shopping, streaming, and dining. It provides inbound travellers with a secure, compliant, digital-first way to experience Nigeria without financial barriers,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that the federal government may recover and sell the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and travel agents whose funds remain trapped following the suspension of the airline’s operations.
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Ministry’s fourth quarter stakeholders’ engagement to enhance governance for effective service delivery in aviation.
Speaking at the event themed “leveraging public feedback to drive excellence in aviation services, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will be directed to probe why funds trapped by the airline are yet to be refunded.
He revealed that the authority suspended the operations of the airline as a matter of choice between safety and disaster.
“For Dana, the problem is that it was a choice between safety and disaster. So we didn’t take the commercial thing as priority. The priority was safety, and we all looked at the damning reports that we had met on the table.
“It was a decision of the NCAA to suspend them, but I pushed them to say, look, these are the reports we are seeing on the table about safety record, about lack of standards that put the lives of Nigerians at risk. If they continue flying, I don’t know whether most of us will be here. Many of us would have been victims of one of those flights. God forbid.”
According to him, “I have asked Najomo (NCAA director general) to dig deep to find out how those passengers and agents will be refunded. He has to dig deep on that.
“One solution will also be that if that same individual or those entities are trying to come back to aviation under any guise, whether to go and register a new AOC or use any business within the aviation sector, they have to go and settle their debts first.
“We should look at their assets. There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Let’s cannibalize their revenue and pay people. Let’s find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.
“NCAA should do that because they can’t get away with it.”
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