General News
Air Cargo Demand Continues Upward Trajectory in February

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released demand growth results for global air freight markets for February 2017 showing an 8.4% increase in demand measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) compared to the same period last year.
After adjusting for the impact of the leap year in 2016, demand increased by 12% — almost four times better than the five-year average rate of 3.0%.
Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), shrank by 0.4% in February 2017.
The continued growth of air freight demand in 2017 is consistent with an uptick in world trade which corresponds with new global export orders remaining at elevated levels in March. Of particular note is the expanded volume of semi-conductor materials typically used in high-value consumer electronics.
“February further added to the cautious optimism building in air cargo markets. Demand grew by 12% in February—about four times the five-year average rate. With demand growing faster than capacity, yields got a boost. While there are signs of stronger world trade, concerns over the current protectionist rhetoric are still very real,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
The rapid growth of niche markets such as cross-border e-commerce and time and temperature sensitive pharmaceutical are showing robust growth as noted at the World Air Cargo Symposium held in Abu Dhabi last month.
“Any optimistic look at the future sees growing demand for specialized value added services. Shippers are telling us that the key to turning the current uptick in the cargo industry’s fortunes into longer-term growth is modernizing our antiquated processes. We must use the current momentum to push ahead with the elements of the e-cargo vision—including the e-air waybill which is nearing 50% market penetration,” said de Juniac.
Regional Performance
All regions, with the exception of Latin America, reported an increase in demand in February 2017.
Asia-Pacific airlines posted the largest year-on-year demand increase among regions in February 2017 with freight volumes growing 11.8% (more than 15% adjusting for the leap year). Capacity increased by 2.0% over the same time.
The increase in demand is captured in the positive outlook from business surveys in the region and is reflected in the increase in trade across Asia-Pacific’s main freight lanes to, from, and within the region, which have strengthened considerably over the past six months.
Seasonally-adjusted volumes dipped slightly in February but remained up considerably since early 2016 and are now back to the levels reached in 2010 during the post-global financial crisis bounce-back.
North American airlines’ freight volumes expanded 5.8% (or more than 9% adjusting for the leap year) in February 2017 compared to the same period a year earlier, and capacity decreased by 3.1%.
This was driven in part by the strength of freight traffic to and from Asia which increased by 5.7% year-on-year in January. The further strengthening of the US dollar continues to boost the inbound freight market but is keeping the export market under pressure.
European airlines posted a 10.5% (or around 14% adjusting for the leap year) increase in freight volumes in February 2017 and a capacity increase of 1.4%. The ongoing weakness of the Euro continues to boost the performance of the European freight market which has benefitted from strong export orders, particularly in Germany, over the last few months.
Middle Eastern carriers’ year-on-year freight volumes increased 3.4% (or approximately 7% adjusting for the leap year) in February 2017 and capacity decreased 1.7%.
Seasonally adjusted freight volumes continue to trend upwards and demand remains strong between the Middle East and Europe.
Despite this, growth has eased from the double-digit rates which were the norm over the past ten years. This corresponds with a slowdown in network expansion by the region’s major carriers.
Latin American airlines experienced a contraction in demand of 4.9% (or around 1% adjusting for the leap year) in February 2017 compared to the same period in 2016 and a decrease in capacity of 7.2%.
Recovery in seasonally-adjusted volumes also stalled with demand 14% lower than at the peak in 2014. And freight volumes have now been in contractionary territory in 25 out of the last 27 months. The region’s carriers have managed to adjust capacity, which has limited the negative impact on the load factor. Latin America continues to be blighted by weak economic and political conditions.
African carriers’ saw freight demand increase by 10.6% (or more than 14% adjusting for the leap year) in February 2017 compared to the same month last year and capacity increase by 1.0%.
Year-to-date demand has increased by 16.2%, helped by very strong growth on the trade lanes to and from Asia.
The increase in demand has helped the region’s seasonally-adjusted load factor rise by 2.8 percentage points so far in 2017.
General News
Indigenous Firm Deploys 400,000 Smart Electricity Meters in 2025

MOJEC International Limited has revealed that it deployed over 400,000 smart meters nationwide in 2025, representing a significant year-on-year growth for the indigenous smart meter manufacturer.

This performance reflected a 33.3 percent increase over the 300,000 meters deployed in 2024, highlighting the scale and acceleration of MOJEC’s metering operations.
Chantelle Abdul, group managing director, attributed the sustained impact to deliberate investments in infrastructure, people, and technology.
“MOJEC operates two state-of-the-art meter production facilities with a combined installed capacity of up to five million meters annually. This scale enables us not just to meet current demand, but to support Nigeria’s long-term metering and energy efficiency goals,” she said.
She further noted that MOJEC’s expansive installer ecosystem, comprising over 5,000 trained professionals nationwide, remains a critical enabler of its delivery advantage, ensuring speed, quality, and compliance across diverse terrains and markets.
The company stated that the deployment surge reflected growing confidence by Distribution Companies (DisCos) and sector stakeholders in MOJEC’s technical capacity, delivery speed, and end-to-end metering solutions.
According to Monday Ubogu, MOJEC’s head of installation, the scale and consistency of delivery set the company apart.
“Within the first three quarters of the year, MOJEC completed about 300,000 installations, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total installations nationwide during that period.
“The momentum continued into the final quarter with an additional 150,000 meters deployed, highlighting our operational depth and nationwide reach,” he said.
Ubogu added that MOJEC’s performance builds on decades of sector engagement, spanning key national metering initiatives including CAPMI, MAF, Vendor Financing, MAP Phases I & II, and NMMP 0, with the company having deployed nearly four million meters since the privatisation of NESI.
According to the company, a substantial portion of the deployment was driven by MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company (M3AC), the Group’s asset management subsidiary, which accounted for about 350,000 installations.
General News
Globacom Donates ₦1Bn to Lagos State Security Trust Fund

In its bid to contribute its quota to the consolidation of security in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, telecommunications giant, Globacom, has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) with a donation of ₦1 billion.

The generous donation was announced at a Private Sector Breakfast Meeting with CEOs, convened at the instance of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, January 30, 2026 and shows the company’s commitment to fostering public safety which would in turn, culminate in enhanced prosperity and social re-engineering in the state.
The donation, which is the biggest private-sector intervention from the telecommunications sector to the Fund in recent years, again shows that Globacom is a responsible, responsive and people-oriented corporate citizen.
Globacom disclosed that the intervention emphasized deeper collaboration between government and the state’s business community especially in relation to security, innovation and economic resilience—an agenda which the digital solutions company has unabashedly supported through sustained social investments.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Fund, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, in his display of appreciation described Globacom’s largesse as “a powerful demonstration of corporate citizenship and a strategic investment in the stability of Lagos State,” saying since LSSTF was established to bridge funding gaps in security infrastructure, it desired voluntary contributions from corporate bodies and well-meaning collaborators.
Dr. Ogunsan promised that the ₦1 billion donation will significantly enhance the Fund’s capacity to address critical priorities for 2026, including multipurpose security helicopters and drones, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, digital communication equipment and Smart CCTV systems. These assets, he added, were germane to proactive policing, rapid response and intelligence-led operations across the state.
He therefore encouraged Lagosians to support businesses that invest in the safety and development of the state, saying, “When companies step forward to secure our environment, residents should reciprocate by patronizing them. Their support directly impacts the protection of lives, property and economic activity.”
A statement from Globacom explained that the donation was an expression of the company’s staunch belief in Nigeria’s future. “At Globacom, we see security not as a government burden alone, but as a shared responsibility. When people feel safe, enterprise grows, creativity flourishes and hope becomes practical. Our support for the LSSTF is about protecting the everyday dreams of millions of Lagosians,” he noted.
With this donation to the LSSTF, Globacom has furthered its tradition of investing directly in the conditions like safety, confidence and stability which help commerce to thrive. Consequent on the support, LSSTF is gingered to raise the bar of security thereby concretizing Lagos State’s position as Nigeria’s safest and most vibrant commercial hub.
This recent financial intervention from Globacom is in tandem with its avowed commitment to social responsibility that is practical, timely, scalable and aligned with national priorities.
The company’s interventions in the past decades have spanned relief efforts for flood-affected communities, support for displaced persons, advanced youth skills through structured training programmes, and investments in education, culture and digital inclusion.
General News
WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

World International Economic Group (WIEG) Nigeria has announced plans to host its inaugural International Investment Summit on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WIEG
The summit, themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier: Unlocking Sustainable Investments for Economic Transformation,” is aimed at connecting investment-ready Nigerian enterprises with global capital while addressing long-standing challenges facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and women-led businesses.
Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Friday at Compact Communications Ltd., GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Mr. Bassey Essien, WIEG’s Project & Event Consultant said the summit would serve as a structured platform linking policy, finance and enterprise growth.
Essien identified limited access to structured funding, poor investment readiness and weak documentation as major barriers confronting Nigerian businesses, despite the availability of domestic and international capital.
“Enterprises that succeed understand the importance of preparation. Some invest as much as N200 million in professional feasibility studies to meet the standards of banks and institutions such as the African Development Bank. That level of preparation enables access to collateral-free funding,” he said.
According to him, weak policy continuity, inadequate post-intervention monitoring and fragmented regulatory frameworks have continued to undermine business growth in the country.
“Policies often change with governments, and there is little tracking after interventions. More importantly, many businesses are not prepared in ways financiers require,” Essien noted.
He explained that the summit would convene policymakers, investors, development finance institutions and pre-screened MSMEs and SMEs operating in priority sectors, including the creative industry, agriculture, energy transition, finance and aviation.
Essien described the creative sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, but said weak financing structures, piracy and poor intellectual property (IP) protection had limited its growth.
Highlighting the summit programme, he said Day One would feature conferences on macroeconomic issues, policy reforms and enterprise growth, while Day Two would focus on sector-specific deal-making roundtables.
“These deal rooms will be organised by sector — from aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to renewable energy — with lawyers, financiers and policymakers present to fast-track transactions,” he said.
Essien added that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) would be present to ensure post-event monitoring and tracking of investment deals concluded during the summit.
He disclosed that the creative economy segment would be supported through partnerships with the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and financial institutions to fund viable projects in Nollywood, music and fashion.
“Intellectual property regularisation is critical. Once ideas are properly documented and protected, investors gain confidence,” he said.
On energy and aviation, Essien said the summit would spotlight renewable energy solutions to reduce dependence on generators and promote the establishment of commercial MRO facilities to curb the high cost of aircraft maintenance abroad.
He also announced the participation of B Lab Africa, a U.S.-certified organisation focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG), diversity, equity and inclusivity standards, noting that the initiative would help small businesses improve governance and access global funding.
Essien revealed that investment commitments estimated at about 500 million dollars were expected to emerge from the summit.
“This is a private-sector-led, non-partisan initiative that places no financial burden on government. It is focused on job creation, empowering women-owned enterprises and improving investor confidence through transparent and secure processes,” he said.
He urged Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to prioritise proper documentation, professional advisory services and IP protection to position themselves for sustainable growth.
“We are creating a structured pathway from policy to capital to enterprise growth,” Essien added.
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