₦airaland Forum

No fewer than thirty-five young Nigerian budding entrepreneurs who emerged successful in the Nigerian Young Professional Forum NYPF YesGrant have been presented with Cheques for financial support to the tune of one million Naira to two million naira each, at a ceremony held in Lagos.

Chairman and founder of Nigerian Young Professional Forum (NYPF) Mr Moses Siasia while... Click on the link below to read more...

http://www.peplnews.com/2016/12/22/nypf-disburses-n42million-grant-youths/

Khloe Kardashian posted a photo of herself and her boyfriend Tristan Thompson on her Instagram page, which she tagged 'httim' in what appears to be a move to dispel rumours that she may be considering reconciling with her ex, Lamar Odom following his voluntary rehab check-in. Her romance with this new guy is hot, fans have alleged.

Tristan Thompson reportedly fears being dumped by the kuwtk reality star now that her ex-husband Lamar Odom has officially checked himself into rehab.

Thompson and Kardashian went their separate ways for good over the summer when reports claimed that Khloe was convinced Odom had relapsed from his clean progress. The 32-year-old was livid, having devoted so much of her time to help Lamar overcome his demons, only to then find out that she was mentally being cheated on again. Click below to read more...

http://www.peplnews.com/2016/12/18/khloe-kardashian-announces-man/

The West African Examination Council, WAEC, has Friday announced the release of the 2016 results of West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) November December, private candidates.

The Head National Office of WAEC, Mr. Olu Adenipekun while announcing the results to media men in Lagos explained that 66,497 representing 38.50% obtained credits in 5 subjects including English and mathematics.

A total of one hundred and seventy-six thousand, six hundred and twenty-one (176,621) candidates registered for the examination. One hundred and seventy five thousand, four hundred and eleven (175,411) candidates representing 99.31% have their results fully released while one thousand, two hundred and ten (1,2100 candidates have few of their...click on the link below for more details.

http://www.peplnews.com/2016/12/16/waec-results-2016-wassce-private/

Sixteen year old Agbugui Felicia of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja has emerged the overall winner of the 2016 edition of the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition,winning an educational grant of N1,000,000.00 to study in any African university of her choice, and a laptop.
Felicia clinched the first position at the grand finale, held on Thursday December 8th, 2016 at the UBA House Marina Lagos, ahead of 12 finalists selected from numerous entries received by the UBA Foundation from students of senior secondary schools across... Read more

Nigeria.http://www.peplnews.com/2016/12/agbugui-felicia-wins-uba-competition.html

Africa’s largest Airline Group, Ethiopian Airlines, has announced that it has won Airline of the Year Award, for the fifth year in a row, by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) during its 48th Annual General Assembly held on November 21, 2016, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The AFRAA annual awards recognise excellence in service delivery, innovation and competitiveness in airlines, individuals and service providers in the African aviation industry.

Ethiopian has been applauded for its outstanding financial performance, technological leadership and investment in modern fuel efficient fleet, exemplary cooperation with other African carriers, significantly expanding route network in Africa and beyond, growing cargo operations with the largest cargo fleet on the continent and huge investment in MRO and training facilities to support the African Aviation.


While receiving the award, Ethiopian Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked, “We are highly honoured for this recognition by fellow sisterly airlines in Africa, for the fifth consecutive year. The award underscores the continuous efforts and hard work of Ethiopian employees who are striving day and night to surpass customers expectations. Ethiopian is also grateful to its loyal customers for giving us the opportunity to serve them, for travelling on Ethiopian in great numbers, for their continued feedback and support which, in turn, assisted us in enhancing the airline‟s service excellence.

He added, “Although Africa is registering rapid economic and travel growth, this growth is primarily benefiting non-African carriers. I would like to remind fellow African Airlines that African aviation holds a very strong future with vigorous fundamentals for aviation to thrive, only if, we Africans look inwards in the continent to leverage on the available internal resources to create synergy through collaborative partnerships in areas of training, technical and management support. Most of all, realising one single unified market without any restriction for African airlines is no more an option.”

“This is a testimony of the soundness of our Vision 2025 fast, profitable and sustainable growth strategy and once again, Ethiopian welcomes this award with great pride.” Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline, including Best Airline Staff in Africa by SkyTrax, Best Airline in Africa by APEX, Passenger Choice Award and CAPA Airline of the Year Award are few to mention.

About Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seven decades of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

read more http://peplnews.com/2016/12/ethiopian-airlines-wins-2016-award.html

Over the past couple of months, there have been arguments and counter-arguments about the sense in concessioning Nigerian airports particularly the four prime international airports in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt.


Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, has been very emphatic on how resolute the government of the day is about going through with the process. He has assured that the Nigerian airports would remain properties of the federal government and that the institution of infrastructure and service delivery measuring with best international practices, motivated the idea to concession.
To show the seriousness of government, Hadi, two months ago, inaugurated two committees, namely project steering committee and project delivery committee to provide the general direction, and steer the course of public private partnership project (PPPP) concessions in the aviation sector.


Sirika, again reiterated the conviction of government that this is the way to go and explained that misgivings about the exercise was borne out of misconception that concession is synonymous with privatisation and loss of jobs. Fears which he has promised would never come to pass.

Of course, labour unions in the sector are at the head of agitations against the initiative. Aside from concerns over the possible loss of jobs, members of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) also worry about stripping the nation of its most precious assets. They argue that the facilities earmarked for concession remain the most viable ones upon which the sustenance of the 17 other airports have depended and described government’s insistence as comparable to economic terrorism.

As one who has actively played in this industry for all of the last decade, I have looked at the two sides of this matter and would suggest that both parties come together in the interest of the nation.

It is an understatement to say that the aviation industry is currently at its lowest ebb and that a lot of the handicaps that we suffer revolve around the ineffective ways in which we have managed our affairs over the years.

As the Minister has argued on a number of occasions, the state of infrastructure at all our airports leave so much to be desired. As a matter of fact, it is a shame that a country with the capacity to do between 70 to 100 million passengers annually is still scratching the surface of its enormous potential and concession is the only way to guarantee full potential in the aviation industry.

And without any doubt, one of the limiting factors for the Nigeria aviation industry is the state of infrastructure. The Murtala Muhammamed International Airport (MMIA), which to every purpose is the foremost facility in the country, tells the story of the rot that has visited the sector. The chaos at the departure and arrival lounges, the heat which slaps people in the face, the nightmare that passengers encounter in checking-in and reclaiming baggage typify the inefficiency of the system.

This is not to speak about the abominable level of service delivery. Staff of our agencies are not just unprofessional; they are unfriendly and sometimes supplicatory. It is not a sight that a country desirous of the respect of the rest of the world should have at its airport.

It even gets worse. Within this year alone, we have had many episodes of power outage at the MMIA. These outages were not just a matter of a few minutes; they lasted for hours such that passengers had to beam light to government agents from their phones for the execution of duties like stamping passports and what have you! I do not imagine anything could be more shameful.

This is not to talk about the safety and convenience of operation at our airports. As busy as the Lagos airport is, there are just two runways, none of which is at an immaculate state at any time. Two months back or so, South African Airways had its operation interrupted for days! Why? For no other reason other than the damage the operating aircraft into Abuja suffered during landing. The aircraft was grounded in Abuja for a number of days before the fault was rectified. This state of affairs, in addition to other issues relating to the awkwardness surrounding doing business in Nigeria, account for the decision of some airlines to reduce their exposure by outright withdrawal of services or reduction in the frequency of flights into Nigeria.

The question that comes to mind in all of these is how it is impossible for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), to decently maintain its facilities when Nigeria has the highest number of passengers on the West African coast, earning a sum of fifty ($50) dollars on each of the thousands of international and regional tickets sold daily.

The answer, to my mind, is the same you will find to the rundown state of a lot of publicly owned institutions in Nigeria. Aviation is a big business, one, which if well managed, is able to sustain itself without looking up to government for subventions or any other form of monetary upkeep. This is what you find in functioning airports all of over the world. This is why the Dubai International Airport, which is managed by a British concern, has top notch security, effective systems and procedures as well as well trained, efficient and courteous staff who do not transfer personal frustrations on innocent and paying passengers. This is the reason why airports like Heathrow, Schiphol and many others in the world have multiple runway facilities and do not irritate passengers with foul-smelling toilet facilities.

As a result of the foregoing, I wholeheartedly vote for taking the daily running of our airport facilities out of the hands of overfed, over-indulged and complacent government appointees who are short in vision and lost about how to put Nigeria on the global map of best practices.

But in doing that, this administration must make the process transparent, even-handed and devoid of suspicions. We must revisit all past agreements that might encumber the innovations of would-be concessionaires and introduce water-tight contracts that do not short-change Nigeria even as we consider fairness to our partners.

Most importantly, we must ensure that no agreement jeopardises the employment of Nigerians. In actual fact, we should be deliberate about creating thousands of employment opportunities and the development of the other airports scattered around Nigeria. It hurts each time one sees parties dispute over issues that are resolvable to the mutual benefit of all, especially when the status quo brings loses to all parties. The aviation industry in Nigeria is the gateway to that so much desired diversification that our government is talking about and I daresay nothing, like a well-meaning revolution as this concessionary attempt will take us to that Promised Land.

Bernard, who is President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA) wrote in from Lagos.

Managing Director of Premier Standard Industrial Limited, Mr Gbolahan Adenuga in this interview with peplnews, speaks on the challenges of fish farming in Nigeria, prospects and the expectations of fish farmers from the Federal Government. Excerpts:

Premier Standard which came into being in 1985, diversified its portfolio into the agricultural products and through its aggressive marketing today is the number one supplier of Coppens brands in Nigeria with offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Aba. How has the business been over the years?

It is true that this company was established over 20 years ago, but talking about 30 years of this business is beyond me because my father, Mr.Fatai Adenuga the Executive Chairman of this company actually came up with the idea. I was appointed Managing Director in 2012 and since I came on-board, I can tell you that we have had our own ups and downs.

Over the last five years, the business climate in Nigeria has been tough due to several reasons, but nevertheless I’ve enjoyed the experience.

How has the current situation of foreign exchange scarcity impacted on your business?

One of the major challenges we have been facing in this business in the past two years is forex. In 2015, through the aid of most of our commercial banks, we were able to access a significant chunk of our forex and at the official market rate, but now in 2016, it’s been very challenging, we have only gotten maybe only 10-15 per cent of our forex demands from the official market while the other percentage were sourced from the black market, which has added to the high costs of our imports.

This has significantly impacted on the import that we were doing when compared to what we were doing in 2015. Our volume has significantly dropped for 40 -50 % from what we did in 2015.

This could lead to low patronage for your product due to price increase, unfortunately it has gotten to the limit now where you can no longer increase price.

What is your say about companies that have closed shop in recent time due to the present economy?

I can tell you that the situation has not been palatable at all. However, if it continues, one will have to look at the several other options available.

Since it is expensive importing your products, is the company looking at local production to cushion the effect?

In the area of local production, we have been thinking about how we can produce the products locally, but the major challenge is that it will be practically impossible to source all your materials locally, you will still need a little bit of forex for some foreign components to make production possible.

As a professional in the industry, how much do you think this sub-sector would require to satisfy the yearning of consumers?

If we are to project and look at it critically, the industry will probably need nothing less than $500 million because this sector is big and requires a lot of financial inputs.

Numerous associations and companies are approaching the government for financial assistance this day, have you ever approached the government to come to your aid?

What we practically do in this industry is to provide feeds for fish farmers. There is an association of catfish farmers and several other associations in the sub-sector. I know they are very well regulated and structured. I’m sure they have approached the government for assistance in the past.

Parts of the challenges the industry is facing is that the importers of fish into the country, do not pay VAT, but unfortunately, people that supply the animal feeds and local feeds producers, are subjected to pay VAT by government agencies. So, there is a disconnect somewhere.

For a government that wants to support the agriculture industry, we would expect that local producers and importers of feeds would also be exempted from VAT. These are some of the areas we are looking at engaging the government as a body.

What we find out in recent time is that a lot of people are pulling out of the business and venturing into other businesses.

The government needs to convey a policy that will aid the entire industry by reviewing the entire value chain, what goes into fish farming production, challenges of fish farmers, regulation of fish price, ensuring that cost of running fish business is reduced because a lot is spent on power generation for the ponds. Also, government needs to help in subsidising the cost of feeds and so on.