General News
Chidoka Launches Help Line, Vows To Rid Airports of Touts
Osita Chidoka, minster of Aviation, has launched an aviation passenger service portal and help line to improve service delivery in our airports.
Chidoka explained that it was imperative for this platform to be created in order to bridge critical lapses in the manner our airports and airlines currently operate.
Similarly, the minister of Aviation, has given the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), a two week ultimatum to evict touts from the airport environment.
On the portal, he noted that the initiative will improve service delivery at our airports redress delays, cancellations, dearth of information and deplorable services bedevilling the sector.
Speaking further, Chidoka expressed confidence that the passenger service portal and call centre helpline create a one stop platform for passengers to get access to information about hotels, car hire services, hospitals etc on line.
He further explained that with the commissioning of this platform and help line, passengers and airport users are entitled to seek redress for shoddy services.
In the same vein, unruly passengers in our airports are to be profiled through a mandatory identification for checking in process and possibly be barred from flying in our airports.
He called on the general public to avail these services through Passengers Service Portal (ASP) www.aviationportal.com.ng and call centre help line on 0700011111, for information on flight availability, local airport information, weather forecasts and airline performance analyses. Furthermore, visitors will have access to online aviation forums; industry news and Aviation commit updates.
The occasion was attended by all the chief executives of aviation parastatals, Airline operators, industry experts and aviation stakeholders.
However, the Minister while launching Anti-Corruption Intervention in the Aviation Sector, an ICPC Initiative said that “a mobile court for the airport would be requested for from the Lagos state government, where defaulters of airport rules would be tried and sanctioned immediately”.
He promised to provide more CCTV cameras at the airports, to enhance security surveillance.
The Minister, who described the airport as a major point of interaction, directed FAAN to provide him with detailed requirements for making airports across the country more customer friendly.
He encouraged all airport staff to work hard to create the best impression to airport users, revealing that incentives would be given to staff of airports who model the expected standard at their duty post.
Chief Chidoka added that “Nigeria is a fertile ground for economic growth and investment and all aviation workers need to work hard to create the right impression at all airports across the country”.
Mr Ekpo Nta, chairman ICPC, in his own remark stated that “this initiative was born out of the need to strengthen the ethical conduct of airport staff and all airport users across the country”.
The event was attended by officials of all aviation Parastatals under the ministry of aviation, stakeholders and other government agencies at the airport at which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Aviation and ICPC.
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.
NRS Boss Dismisses Fears of Political Weaponisation in Tax Reforms
NITDA DG Charts Bold Path for Innovation-Led Digital Boom in North
Samsung Plans to Double AI Mobile Devices to 800 million Units this Year
Zacch Adedeji says Rebranded NRS will Overhaul Revenue Administration
2026: SEC to Review Rules to Incentivise SME Listings
Banks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
FIRS says NIN, CAC Numbers to Serve as Tax IDs from 2026
Financial Sector Faced AI, Blockchain and Organised Crime Threats in 2025 – Report
PalmPay Launches N400 Million World Travel Carnival, Rewarding Users with Free Global Trips
Minister Claims Bandits Exploit Poor Network, Bounce Calls Off Multiple Towers
News1 day agoCourt Sends Faleti, Ex-Lagos Director to Jail for Stealing ₦48.9m from Access Bank
News2 days ago974 Nigerians Face Imminent Deportation from Canada Amid Enforcement Surge
E-Financial1 day agoRemita Powers over ₦100 Trillion in Payments as Nigeria’s Digital Economy Expands
General News2 days agoHouse of Reps Releases Certified Copies of Tax Reform Acts amid Gazette Discrepancy Claims
E-Financial1 day agoWhy 2026 Must Be the Year Nigeria’s Economy Works for All
E-Financial1 day agoFlutterwave Acquires Nigeria’s Mono in $25m-$40m All-Stock Deal
General News1 day agoNigeria Targets Satellite-to-Mobile Services in Draft Spectrum Roadmap
E-Financial1 day ago2026: SEC to Review Rules to Incentivise SME Listings