Travel/Tourism
Oborevwori Urges Tourism Investors to Explore Historic Sites in Delta
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Tourism investors in Nigeria and outside the country have been urged by the Governor of Delta State, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori, to take advantage of the friendly environment in the state to explore the various historic sites in the region for investment.
The Governor, through his Executive Assistant on Culture and Tourism, Dr Josephine Odunze, said tourism was one of the avenues the state government was looking to diversify the economy through the MORE Agenda, an acronym for Meaningful Development, Opportunities for all, Realistic Reforms and Enhanced Peace and Security.
Speaking with newsmen at a media parley in Asaba during a two-day trip to tourist sites in the state, Ms Odunze said the government has provided the basic infrastructure to make it easier for investors to come in to make more money.
She noted that the state government wants the collaboration of the private sector to make the sites more viable to create more jobs and revive economic activities in the host communities.
While evaluating the eco-tourism potential of the River Ethiope, she said the river is navigable, as “it flows into the Turf Club, McCarthy Beach, Shiloh Beach, and other beaches.”
“If properly managed, it can be used for boat regattas and other recreational activities. River Ethiope is very clean; we can have a botanical garden situated there, which will aid research for students,” she stated.
Ms Odunze described McCarthy Beach as a serene environment, where tourists and poets who want to take recess from the hustle and bustle of life can go for relaxation and inspiration.
The Governor’s aide also encouraged tourism associations, managers and planners to visit Ganagana Island, saying it was the first place the late Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther visited when he arrived in Nigeria, though he was rejected, which forced him to move to Onitsha.
“The community is surrounded by water, but it is said that the water never overflows its banks. So it can serve as a seaport where a lot and even our popular locally brewed gin (ogogoro) can be marketed.
“This place needs recognition and support to give it an international platform for exports of some of our indigenous arts, crafts, and cuisines,” she said.
In addition, she said Delta State is blessed with the Asaba Film Village and Leisure Park, which plays an important role in the entertainment sector in the country.
“The film Village and Leisure Park is now a tourist delight as the facility houses so much in leisure including a zoo, a music recording studio and everything needed for film-making, acting, production and post-production stages are all there. The hotels, apartments, and hostels are well-equipped for visitors to lodge during their stay in Asaba.
“We also appreciate our working Governor for sustaining the need for collaboration with the private sector in managing the film village, as that has brought some level of professionalism, dedication and credibility to the activities of the film village and leisure park,” Ms Odunze said.
She praised her boss for the enabling environment for tourists and investors, especially during the maiden 2023 Christmas in Delta tagged 45 Days of Christmas in Delta.
On her part, the General Manager of the Delta State Tourism Board, Mrs Josephine Anyameluhor-Ogbolu, stated that, “The state needs investors who will partner with the government to make Delta State a tourist destination of pride.’’
“We need investors as the government cannot do it alone. The government has created the enabling environment such as road infrastructure, water, and light but we need investors who will partner with the government to ensure that we truly make Delta State the preferred tourist destination of pride,” she added.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
In a move aimed at improving passenger clearance, compliance and customs operations, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS).
This platform was launched at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, May 18, 2026.
This initiative will simplify baggage declaration for inbound international passengers and reduce manual bottlenecks, improve transparency in revenue assessment and enhance operational efficiency at Nigeria’s international airports.
It allows passengers to declare items before arrival, thereby reducing clearance time while improving compliance and operational integrity.
The introduction of this scheme became necessary following operational challenges encountered on the Service’s previous passenger declaration platform earlier this year, and rather than allow the setbacks to slow operations, customs chose to develop a stronger and more efficient alternative.
“When the earlier platform experienced operational challenges, we chose not to see it as a setback. We saw it as an opportunity to build something better, stronger and more efficient.
“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Ms Oluyomi Adebakin, said yesterday.
She noted that the system will eliminate subjective revenue assessment by ensuring that duties are automatically generated based on declared items, their quantities, and their actual values.
“When we talk about revenue collection, it is not about collecting more or less. It is about collecting the right revenue. With this system, assessment will now be more objective, accurate and driven by data,” she stated.
Earlier, the Customs Area Controller for FCT Area Command, Comptroller Victoria Alibo, described the selection of the command for the pilot phase as a vote of confidence in its operational capacity.
According to her, the new platform integrates passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into a single digital framework designed to support global Customs best practices.
“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” Ms Alibo said, adding that the pilot phase will run for five days, from Monday, May 18, to Friday, May 22, 2026, during which officers will evaluate the system in a live environment ahead of nationwide deployment.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The price of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1, has been reduced by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals to N1,650 per litre from N1,750 per litre.
The company, in a statement, said this price slash was done to ease cost pressures on airlines and ensure an uninterrupted fuel supply across the country.
This is in addition to a 30-day interest-free credit facility backed by bank guarantees (BG) for marketers and airline operators and a shift from a dollar-denominated pricing structure to a naira-based model.
The private refiner also stated that these interventions come amid growing concerns over the rising operational costs faced by domestic carriers, with aviation fuel accounting for a significant portion of airline expenses.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that escalating Jet A1 prices were placing severe financial strain on operators and threatening the sustainability of flight operations.
The refinery’s decision is expected to provide relief to airline operators by lowering fuel procurement costs, improving operational stability, and supporting efforts to moderate airfares.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final forfeiture order for a Hawker private Jet 125 before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, over its links to fraud, corruption, and money laundering in relation to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP).
The aircraft, with model number 800XP, serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited following an application by the EFCC.
Justice Nwite, ruling on the application, held that no sufficient cause was shown by Valiente Jet Limited, a company owned by Mr Abdulsalam Kachallah, an interested party, why the aircraft should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge held, stressing that the disguised manner through which the aircraft was acquired using the name of a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator who denied knowledge of the nature of the transaction further lent credence to the unlawfulness of the entire transaction.
In a statement by the anti-graft agency, it disclosed that the investigation revealed Mr Kachallah entered into unlawful agreements with China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) through shell companies.
The EFCC also alleged that he sold privileged bidding information relating to the project in exchange for financial inducements.
“The investigation further showed that CMEC was subsequently awarded three contracts under the project valued at $52,120,172 (Fifty Two Million One Hundred and Twenty Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Two Dollars) and ₦20,213,956,953 (Twenty Billion, Two Hundred and Thirteen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty Three Naira),” it said.
The EFCC revealed that part of the contract funds was routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, under the false claim that the company was subcontracted by CMEC.
“CMEC transferred the sum of $2,070,000 (Two Million, Seventy Thousand Dollars) into the Stanbic IBTC Bank account of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited on Kachallah’s instruction,” it further revealed.
It disclosed that forged invoices were prepared in the name of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited to falsely portray that legitimate services had been rendered to CMEC.
“The funds were thereafter transferred to a Brazilian account for the purchase of the aircraft from a Brazilian company,” the EFCC revealed.
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