General News
Emirates Commissions Own Dedicated Lounge with WiFi
Emirates, a global connector of people and places, today celebrated the opening of its 38th dedicated lounge at Terminal 2 of Narita International Airport.
The opening not only showcased Emirates’ premium lounge, but provided a unique opportunity for guests to experience the airline’s on-board food offering on its Japan routes.
The Emirates Lounge at Narita International Airport is the first airline-owned lounge in Japan.
It will provide an experience of seamless luxury and comfort for its First and Business Class customers, as well as Platinum and Gold members of Emirates Skywards – the airline’s frequent flyer programme.
This first lounge opening in Japan reinforces Emirates’ ongoing commitment to the Japanese market.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Tokuhisa Takano, senior vice president, Narita International Airport Corporation; Mohammed H Mattar, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president Airport Services; and Nick Rees, Emirates manager, Japan – was held to formally open the lounge.
On the occasion of the lounge opening, Makato Natsume, President & CEO, Narita International Airport Corporation said, “I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to Emirates for opening its world-class lounge here at Narita Airport. This is a Japan first. I look forward to further developments as Emirates and Narita International Airport move forward.”
“Our commitment to the highest standards of quality in every aspect of our business is the secret of Emirates’ success. The new Emirates Lounge at Narita expresses that commitment in a very concrete way,” said Mr Mattar.
“Japan is a very important market for Emirates and the dedicated lounge at Narita demonstrates our ongoing efforts to provide the best airport experience to premium Japanese travellers and our Skywards Platinum and Gold members,” added Mr Mattar.
Ryuta Sato, Executive Sous Chef at Emirates Flight Catering, flew in for the lounge opening to present Emirates’ on-board dishes and talk about the concept and preparation of the service.
Chef Sato led guests as they sampled First Class, Business Class and Economy Class dishes in traditional Japanese crockery with a selection of food in kobachi bowls served on kaiseki trays.
The Emirates Lounge at Narita International Airport provides a seamless
transition to the elegant environment of the onboard First Class and Business Class offering with a colour palette reflecting the neutral, earthy tones that customers have come to associate with the Emirates brand.
In the lounge, passengers are able to choose from a complimentary selection of fine beverages and a wide range of hot and cold delicacies from a gourmet buffet.
State-of-the-art LED TVs ensure passengers remain up-to-date with the latest news and entertainment, and a fully equipped business centre is available for those needing to catch up on that last bit of business before flight.
Complimentary Wi-Fi service is also offered throughout the facility to ensure passengers remain connected.
Passengers are also able to freshen up prior to their flight with the lounge’s shower facilities.
Emirates has invested more than US$330 million in its lounges worldwide serving over 22 million customers since the opening of Emirates’ first international lounge outside its Dubai hub.
The airline currently has 37 dedicated lounges around its six-continent network including in Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, Brisbane, Colombo, Delhi, Dubai (x6) , Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Milan, Munich, New York – JFK, Paris – Charles de Gaulle, Perth, Rome, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Zurich.
Emirates commenced services to Japan in 2002 with four weekly flights to and from Osaka. Since then, more than three million passengers have chosen Emirates to fly from Dubai to Japan and from Japan to Dubai. Presently, Emirates has daily flights to three gateways in Japan – Osaka, Narita and Haneda. Globally, the airline employs over 430 Japanese nationals.
PalmPay has opened a new office at 33 Old Yaba Road, Lagos, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, customer service, and operational growth in Nigeria.
The new office represents a continued investment in PalmPay’s people, operations, and infrastructure, supporting the company’s ability to deliver reliable financial services at scale. Designed to accommodate PalmPay’s growing team, the workspace enables closer cross-functional collaboration while strengthening service delivery nationwide. Located in Yaba, one of Lagos’s most established commercial and technology corridors, the office further anchors PalmPay within Nigeria’s innovation and financial ecosystem.
Speaking at the office launch, Managing Director Chika Nwosu highlighted that the new workspace reflects PalmPay’s long-term vision and dedication to excellence. “This new office represents an important step in our growth journey and our commitment to building secure, reliable, and inclusive financial solutions for our users,” he said.
The launch event was attended by PalmPay’s leadership team, employees and customers, who toured the facility and marked the company’s continued growth and progress.
With the opening of its office at 33 Old Yaba Road, PalmPay continues to strengthen its presence in Nigeria and reaffirm its mission to drive financial inclusion through innovative digital solutions.
PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.
PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users and processes up to 15 million transactions daily. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh.
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has announced the signing of a chain of contracts with major airlines for the provision of total handling solutions.
In a statement on Tuesday, the company announced the signing of contract renewals with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, as well as the African operator, RwandAir.
NAHCO also signed fresh contracts with United Nigeria – Regional, Bellagio and Malaikair.
According to the statement, the contracts with Air France and KLM are for three years and will run till 2028, respectively. The duration of the contract with Virgin Atlantic was also put at three years.
The duration for the RwandAir contract is for three years, effective 1 October 2025.
The statement read, “The new contract with United – Regional would be for a period of five years, effective from 1 August 2025. For Bellagio and Malaikair, the contracts are for three and five years, respectively.
“Bellagio Air, Nigeria’s rising star in aviation, is redefining air travel with a blend of luxury, efficiency, and reliability. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Ikeja, Lagos, Bellagio Air is committed to providing world-class service across key domestic and regional routes.”
The Group Executive Director, Commercial and Business Development, NAHCO Plc, Saheed Lasisi, who expressed his delight with the new contracts, said NAHCO is already ready to exceed customers’ expectations.
According to Lasisi, NAHCO’s more than 46 years of unblemished excellent service delivery puts it heads and shoulders above any other service provider in the industry.
“This is what we have been doing for almost half of a century. We will continue to delight our customers and make our stakeholders happy by exceeding expectations in all aspects of our service offerings. We are always willing and ready to do more,” Lasisi added.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NAHCO Plc, Olumuyiwa Olumekun, added that with the new fleet of equipment the company is deploying, service delivery will only be better.
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.
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