General News
Aviation Portal: Innovation for Comfort
From his home in Ganawuri community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, Bernad Bagu forced his way through the foggy weather to make it to the airport in time.
On his arrival at Jos Airport he looked at his wristwatch to be sure he was on time for his flight. Time passed, but Bagu and other passengers on his flight were not called for boarding.
The flight from Jos to Lagos has been delayed.
So Bagu spent the whole day at the airport without making his trip as his flight was delayed and eventually cancelled due to bad weather.
He had purchased the ticket without looking into the aviation porter to be sure of flight status and weather reports among other information.
And while it was a sorry tale for Bagu, his colleague, Chom Moses had a good experience at the airport.
Clad in his harmattan wear torrents of thoughts engaged his mind on his way to the airport. ‘What’s the weather like today, the cost and which airline is the best for the journey’ were some of the thoughts running through the tunnel of his mind.
Then, he remembered someone mentioned the aviation portal for reliable information.
He pulled his car to a stop and quickly reached out for his smartphone to check www.aviationportal.com.ng where he got answers to his questions and even more.
Not only that, he dialled 0700011111, the helpline where he made further inquiries.
Now, barely a month since the Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, launched the new Aviation Passengers Service (APS) portal and the Aviation Helpline, air travellers have embraced the one-stop platform that provides a single platform where the flying public can access real time information about airlines operations and services at any of the airports in Nigeria.
Indeed, from statistics, Nigerians believed the aviation portal will transform the aviation sector into a customer-centric industry.
For instance, an online poll indicated a 65 per cent of respondents who affirmed the relevance of the new platform to the industry’s growth.
In another poll 48 per cent of travellers believed it will help them in their journey.
Presently flights are being delayed, diverted or cancelled as a safety measure due to the harmattan haze which causes blurred visibility and sometimes gives rise to low level wind shear that may hamper air safety.
Undoubtedly, where terminal visibility falls below the prescribed weather minimal, safety takes pre-eminence.
To be sure, the Aviation authorities had forewarned of the dry and dusty harmattan wind that blows southwest from the Sahara desert into the Gulf of Guinea to prepare travellers using the airports in the country.
Since assuming his position as Nigeria’s minister of aviation last year, Chidoka had taken steps to ensure a better management of the sector.
For him, the need to understand the sector better preceded his rapid reform. He was well prepared.
Within the short time of assuming office, he has proved his mettle by promptly identifying patterns, spotting opportunities, making the connection between new technology and existing customers, and seeing trends early enough to act on them.
So to make the aviation sector a success by international standards, the minister is adopting a strong customer service focus including measurement of passenger satisfaction at the airports. He has engaged with corporations, government agencies and service providers to bring about these changes.
Of course, the airport community forms an integrated service chain where inputs from multiple stakeholders are required to provide an end-to-end service to the customers.
For them, the portal will remove costs, increase accountability and improve decision making by stripping out unnecessary bureaucracy and layers of management.
And for the airlines, the aviation portal will reduce work in progress through the supply chain, reduce time of response and make the sector more competitive.
The traveller can submit complaints, suggestions and/or commendations to the ministry and any of its agencies, thereby providing feedbacks on any issues pertaining to domestic airlines and incidences at any of the airports in the country upon which appropriate intervention will be taken by the relevant officials.
Clearly, the aviation portal is a stunning concept that is helping in better service delivery. The portal has added additional attraction to Nigeria airports for air travellers amidst the convenience that the remodelled airports now offer to air travellers.
yakubu dati is the general manager, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN headquarters), Lagos.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a forward-looking strategy that places satellite-enabled mobile connectivity at the heart of the country’s drive to bridge its long-standing coverage gaps.
The draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector for 2025 to 2030 lays out how satellite technologies could help deliver reliable voice and data services to millions of Nigerians who live beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The direction is outlined in the Commission’s draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector covering the period.
The proposed approach highlights non-terrestrial networks as a complement to existing mobile infrastructure, especially in areas where terrain, insecurity, or high costs limit the deployment of base stations.
The NCC said D2D satellite technology, which allows standard mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, is gaining traction globally as a means of delivering voice and data services without reliance on ground towers.
According to the regulator, the technology could help close persistent coverage gaps in rural, riverine, and border communities that remain outside the reach of conventional networks.
It also noted that satellite-backed connectivity could improve network reliability by providing alternative links during fibre cuts, power failures, or other disruptions affecting terrestrial systems.
The Commission added that wider adoption of D2D services could support emergency communications, public safety operations, Internet of Things applications, and services such as smart agriculture in underserved regions.
It also pointed to potential investment opportunities through partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, including more efficient use of shared spectrum resources.
Beyond D2D services, the roadmap places emphasis on Low-Earth Orbit satellites to expand broadband access to remote parts of the country.
It also proposes better utilisation of Geostationary Orbit satellites and the exploration of high-altitude platforms, such as stratospheric balloons, to support mobile backhaul and rural connectivity.
The policy signals come shortly after Airtel Africa announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink-powered direct-to-cell services in Nigeria.
The NCC’s roadmap is expected to shape future spectrum allocation, licensing decisions, and technology adoption across the telecommunications sector.
General News
House of Reps Releases Certified Copies of Tax Reform Acts amid Gazette Discrepancy Claims
House of Representatives has released certified true copies of the four tax reform Acts signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, addressing public concerns over alleged discrepancies between legislative versions and circulated gazetted documents.
Tax Reform Acts
House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, disclosed this in a statement, noting that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the immediate publication of the Acts—including endorsement and presidential assent pages—for public verification, in collaboration with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The move followed allegations raised by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki on the House floor, highlighting inconsistencies between Bills passed by the National Assembly and executive gazetted versions, which he warned could erode legislative integrity and public trust.
Abbas constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Rep. Aliyu Betara, with members including Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi and Babajimi Benson, to investigate the alleged alterations, unauthorised circulation and preventive measures.
The committee’s mandate includes probing circumstances around the discrepancies, while Abbas ordered internal verification and public release of certified copies to dispel doubts and safeguard legislative records. Legal experts, tax professionals and civil society had demanded clarification and implementation suspension amid heated debates triggered by Dasuki’s intervention.
The released laws comprise the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; National Revenue Service Establishment Act, 2025; and Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act, 2025, described as foundational to modernising Nigeria’s tax system.
These reforms aim to enhance compliance, curb inefficiencies, eliminate overlaps and bolster fiscal coordination across federal, state and local tiers, following extensive stakeholder consultations, committee reviews and plenary debates under Abbas’s leadership.
Rotimi reassured Nigerians: “The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway.”
He emphasised that only National Assembly-certified versions hold authority, urging the public, institutions and stakeholders to disregard all other circulating documents as unofficial.
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
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