General News
African Airlines Traffic Slips 0.7% on YoY Passenger Demand

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for January 2015 showing traffic growth (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) of 4.6% compared to January 2014, but African airlines recorded 0.7% decline compared to the period in 2014.
This represents a slower start to the year compared to 2014 full-year growth of 5.9%.
However, results likely were affected by the timing of the Lunar New Year in Asia, which occurred one month later this year compared to 2014.
January capacity rose 5.2% and load factor slipped 0.5 percentage points to 77.7%. While domestic markets drove growth in the latter part of 2014, international traffic was stronger in January.
“January traffic did not maintain the rate of growth attained in 2014; nevertheless, we are seeing healthy albeit slightly slower growth in the demand for air services. While January was a relatively positive start for the year, we cannot look ahead without seeing some significant risk factors in the macro-economic and political environment,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.
International Passenger Markets
January international passenger traffic rose 5.4% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity rose 6.0% and load factor slipped 0.5 percentage points to 78.0%. All regions recorded year-over increases in demand except for Africa.
European carriers’ international traffic climbed 5.0% in January compared to the year-ago period, which was the largest increase among the three biggest regions. Capacity rose 4.6% and load factor rose 0.3 percentage points to 77.7%.
Air travel growth in Europe reflects robust travel on low cost carriers as well as on airlines registered in Turkey which is helping to overcome some of the impact on travel of the ongoing economic weakness in the region.
Asia-Pacific carriers recorded an increase of 4.7% compared to January 2014, which is below the 2014 annual trend of 5.8% expansion. In addition, the seasonally-adjusted level of traffic has been broadly flat over the past five months. The timing of the Lunar New Year in mid-February (one month later than it fell in 2014) also impacted the results. Capacity rose 5.8%, pushing down load factor 0.8 percentage points to 77.6%.
North American airlines saw demand rise 2.7% in January over a year ago. While this was the weakest traffic growth for all regions save Africa, the US economy is a stand-out performer among developed economies. Capacity rose 3.8%, pushing down load factor 0.9 percentage points to 79.5%.
Middle East carriers had the strongest year-over-year traffic growth in January at 11.4%. Markit’s measures of business activity in non-oil sectors in the region’s economies continue to show improvement, suggesting Middle Eastern economies are comparatively well-placed to withstand the plunge in oil revenues. Capacity rose 13.3% and load factor dipped 1.3 percentage points to 79.7%.
Latin American airlines’ traffic rose 5.6%. Capacity rose 5.1% and load factor climbed 0.4 percentage points to 81.2%, highest among the regions. While growth in the Brazilian economy has stagnated, regional trade volumes have continued to improve in recent months.
African airlines saw January traffic slip 0.7% compared to January 2014.
The weakness in international air travel for regional carriers is not believed to be attributable to the Ebola outbreak. Rather, it appears to reflect negative economic developments in parts of the continent including Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy, which is suffering from the collapse in oil prices. With capacity up 0.7%, load factor fell 1.0 percentage point to 68.1%, the lowest among the regions.
Domestic Passenger Markets
Domestic air travel rose 3.2% in January year-on-year, which was below the full year 2014 result of 5.4%.
Capacity rose 3.9% and load factor was 77.3%, down 0.5% percentage points.
China domestic air travel rose just 2.1% January compared to a year ago.
This in part is owing to the timing of the Lunar New Year falling in February (a month later than in 2014).
But there was also a contraction in volumes in January compared to December, after adjusting for seasonal factors.
Brazil’s domestic traffic climbed 5.6% in January. Nonetheless, growth in the economy is stagnant and persistently-high inflation remains a concern.
That the demand for connectivity drives economic activity was widely noted in media reports on the recent Lunar New Year Holiday which fell in February this year.
The Chinese government estimated that the number of Chinese making overseas trips during the holiday period topped 5 million—a 10% increase on 2014.
The China Tourism Academy suggests that this activity generated some $22 billion for the Chinese tourism industry.
On the receiving end, it was widely reported that the 450,000 Chinese travelers who visited Japan over the period spent nearly $1 billion.
“Air travel drives business. The economic impact of travel during the Lunar New Year period is a tremendous example of how powerful a force travel can be.
“This is our message to governments: a successful air transport industry strengthens economies with broad economic and social benefits. The industry is committed to sustainable growth. But it is critical that governments do their part in ensuring cost-efficient infrastructure to accommodate demand and not constraining growth with excessive taxation or onerous regulation,” said Tyler.
General News
Cellulant Taps Freddie Oduro to Lead Enterprise Payments Expansion in Ghana

Cellulant, a leading Pan-African payments company enabling seamless digital transactions across Africa, has appointed Mr. Freddie Oduro as its new Country Manager for Ghana.

Mr. Freddie Oduro, New Country Manager for Ghana.
Freddie’s appointment is a key step in Cellulant’s broader strategy to deepen its presence in priority markets by accelerating the acquisition of in-country enterprise businesses and strengthening its position as the payments partner of choice in Africa.
Freddie brings over a decade of commercial and strategic leadership experience in the telecommunications and financial services sectors, with expertise in sales, business operations, and market expansion.
In his new role, he will drive merchant acquisition, strengthening partnerships, oversee collections and payout operations, while ensuring strong internal controls and regulatory compliance.
He joins Cellulant from Payaza and previously served as Sales Director at Cellulant, where he helped significantly expand the company’s footprint in Ghana.
Cellulant has been powering payments in Ghana for leading brands in sectors like e-commerce, utilities, oil and gas and retail, helping them offer their customers a wide range of secure digital payment options.
“We are happy to welcome Freddie back to the Cellulant family,” says Richard Gesimba, Chief Revenue Officer at Cellulant. “Ghana remains a critical market for us, with immense potential driven by rising digital payments adoption.
“As we sharpen our focus on in-country enterprise customers, Freddie’s leadership and industry insight make him the ideal person to steer our Ghana operations.”
The appointment comes at a transformative time for the company. Following a strategic shift between late 2023 and early 2024, focused on streamlining operations, doubling down on enterprise payments, and strengthening customer intimacy, Cellulant achieved profitability in 2024 and continues to build on this momentum.
The company now processes close to 4.5 million transactions daily for businesses across Africa, reinforcing its position as a fintech leader.
“I am honoured to return to Cellulant and lead the Ghana team at such a defining moment,” says Freddie, Country Manager for Cellulant Ghana. “Ghana presents a tremendous opportunity.
“We will ramp up our efforts to sign on more local merchants, strengthen our compliance and control frameworks, and introduce innovative solutions like Tingg Edupay, our automated school fee management solution that eliminates reconciliation delays by validating payments in real time and instantly updating student accounts.
“We will build on Cellulant’s strong foundation to deliver real value, reliability, and economic impact.”
Ghana’s digital payments sector continues to grow steadily, supported by increased mobile money usage and a progressive regulatory environment. Between January and October 2025, the value of mobile money transactions hit about GH¢ 3.6 trillion, up sharply from GH¢ 2.37 trillion in the same period of 2024.
Registered mobile money accounts now exceed 79 million, demonstrating strong consumer and business confidence in digital financial services and in turn creating many opportunities for payment innovation.
This leadership appointment underscores Cellulant’s commitment to building a resilient, high-performance organisation geared towards playing a pivotal role in the next era of Africa’s digital economy.
Looking ahead to 2026, Cellulant plans to further enhance the user experience on its payment platform, Tingg, and expand its footprint across Ghana.
General News
Top Nigerian Startups Secure Funding Boost @ iHatch Demo Day Awards

Nigeria’s startup ecosystem received a fresh injection of momentum as top emerging ventures secured funding and investor attention at the iHatch National Demo Day, where Interface Africa clinched the highest prize of $15,000.

The 4th cohort of the NITDA–JICA-backed accelerator brought together founders, policymakers, and venture stakeholders in Abuja, showcasing innovations ranging from clean-energy financing and digital food marketplaces to next-gen fintech tools.
The startups went rounds of running through state-level selections and regional competition. iHatch was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership to create an enabling environment for young Nigerians to develop and scale their innovative solutions.
The iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort), is an initiative by NITDA and JICA which provides a clear pathway for homegrown talent to contribute significantly to economic diversification and digital transformation.
After rigorous selection processes, the top founders converged to pitch their innovations, recognised the standout performers, which are:
Interface Africa with $15,000, the firm is driving Nigeria’s clean energy transition by enabling structured and affordable solar financing.
Ahioma with $12,000, the firm enhances food accessibility with a digital marketplace connecting consumers directly to trusted vendors.
Linia Finance with $10,000, the firm is helping Nigerians take control of their finances with tools for budgeting, tracking, and smart money planning.
Chapta got a laptop reward. They delivering an offline-capable school application ensuring consistent, accessible learning for students everywhere.
Softdrop also got a laptop reward, they solve logistics challenges through a modern delivery platform designed for speed, convenience, and efficiency.
General News
Fidelity Bank to Host Virtual Masterclass on New Tax Law

Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, will host a free virtual training on the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (NTA) as part of its commitment to helping small businesses prepare for the upcoming legislation.

Fidelity Bank
The masterclass is scheduled for 10:00 AM (Nigerian time) on Friday, 12 December 2025. It will provide participants with clear insights into changes in the tax framework, the impact on income and business operations, and practical steps to avoid penalties in 2026.
Attendees will also learn strategies to stay ahead in an evolving regulatory environment.
The Nigerian government enacted major tax reforms on 26 June 2025 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed four tax bills into law.
These Acts will take effect on 1 January 2026 and represent a significant overhaul of the country’s tax system.
The reforms aim to modernize and harmonize Nigeria’s tax framework, improve revenue generation, broaden the tax base, and create clearer rules for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
“Our decision to host this masterclass reflects our commitment to empowering businesses with the right information ahead of the commencement of the new tax regime.
“Information is money and a well-informed business owner is already steps ahead in the race to success.
“This is why we are bringing experts to provide accurate details and demystify the tax act,” said Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc.
Interested participants can register via https://bit.ly/2026TaxLawMasterclass .
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