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Flying On the Wings of Nigeria

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Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, MD, CMC Connect
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Recently I had to take a trip to the United Kingdom and was faced with the challenge of which airline to fly based on my schedule and pricing. Eventually, largely swayed by the renewed sentiment of ‘Buy Nigeria, I settle for Arik Airline, the self-professed ‘Wings of Nigeria’.

I looked forward to the flight experience even though I had once flown the airline on the same route many years ago. But at that time I was unable to critically assess it as it had just launched its UK route and in a group that distracted me severely. But on this occasion,

 I was thankfully alone. My friends who believe I know everyone will have been shocked to find out that I only recognized two people in my cabin of choice.

This is in contrast to what happens on my regular airline where I often know the larger portion of the cabin, plus ground and cabin crew for good measure.

Our outward journey started late due to the fact that the flight had to be combined with that of another indigenous airline that had been cancelled for operational reasons.

Despite that, the flight was uneventful. I found the cabin space rather generous, the staff courteous and a wide choice of entertainment options both local and international.

The cuisine was not very appealing to me even though I am not a big fan of airline food. This is however not to say it cannot be significantly improved upon.

The return leg left dead on time. This time I checked in online which I was unable to do on my outward journey. Not only that, the flight landed in Lagos at 3.40 am, a forty good minutes ahead of schedule. Quite unbelievable for Arik that had gained notoriety for being abysmally late on its local flights.

This advantage was however masked by the lack of on-board entertainment and vanity kits for those in business class.

Barring these hitches, it was a good experience for me, the biggest plus being that I was able to avoid the Murtala Mohammed International Airport during the highly riotous hours of 6-10pm.

However, Arik still has a long way to go if it intends to compete with international airlines. There can be no Nigerian standards. It has to be global. While the airline has a lot to do in this area, it has even more work to do in terms of brand essence, appeal and likeability. These are seriously lacking.

Being the nearest thing to our national carrier, its brand conversation is relatively weak. The experience of United Kingdom starts once you step on a British Airways flight ditto for Virgin Atlantic and many other foreign airlines.

Beyond its tagline, Arik fails to strongly communicate Brand Nigeria in costume, imagery or otherwise. Why any of our traditional attires can’t be proudly infused into the crew’s attire? eg.

Caps adorned with aso oke which is uniquely ours. If that was the aim of the printed blouses won by the female staff, then in my opinion, it is a very weak and uninspiring one.

Another unique platform to strongly communicate Brand Nigeria is completely lost by Arik not having its own business class lounge. Rather it shares one with several other international airlines even in its own home country!

Furthermore, Arik is not doing enough reaching out to its primary target Nigerians. Beyond mere advertising, we should see more of the airline in various aspects of our national life like entertainment, sports, business, tourism, economy etc.

There are creative ways of weaving the brand into the fabric of the nation. A significant vacuum exists in its sector that can be taken advantage of as a key mover of the Nigerian economy.

Arik cannot afford to sit on the fence. It must strongly join in the conversation of nation-building as part of its reputation management strategy. Perhaps, the airline is too busy coping with core issues of operations leaving the ‘mundane’ one of brand communication to just a desk. If that is the case, then it is not the way to go in building a sustainable brand. Arik must not only make its brand more appealing, but in doing so, it must constantly think out of the box! Presently the brand lacks character beyond its functionality.

The government of the day must also line up behind our national brands like Arik. What a morale booster it will be if President Muhammadu Buhari or his deputy Professor Yemi Osinbajo leads a large Nigerian business delegation to the United Kingdom and all of them fly Arik.

This will surely send a strong message to Nigerians that we must own and support our own. Government must also encourage its staff to ‘Fly Nigeria First!’ Otherwise, the government risks the possibility of appearing insincere in its call for us all to ‘buy Nigeria’.

The government can still go further by supporting the indigenous aviation sector. Buoyed by the potential of flying 180 million people, we cannot stand by and watch foreign airlines take the lion-share of this market leaving us with miserable crumbs. Government must facilitate low interest loans and facilities that will oil the sector.

Anybody that has collected and diverted previous disbursements from the Aviation Intervention Fund must be investigated and swiftly brought to book. Such people must be dealt with as national economic saboteurs. I also counter any idea of the government launching a national carrier as history has shown that government business is not in business!

I will encourage all Nigerians especially frequent flyers, to start by committing a certain portion of their portfolio to flying indigenous airlines like Arik on their intercontinental trips.

The advantages of this as earlier enumerated are quite considerable with Nigeria being the ultimate beneficiary.

Yes I admit, there will be the initial discomfort of adjusting to new standards, but that is the only way we can build our national businesses. After all, ‘if Rome was not built in a day’, why should we expect the ‘wings of Nigeria’ to be.

Yomi Badejo-Okusanya consults in a public relations firm and writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

 


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LG Nigeria Begins Nationwide Search for Oldest Working TV, Rewards Loyalty with AI QNED Upgrade

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LG Electronics has announced the launch of a nationwide campaign aimed at celebrating decades of customer loyalty and technological heritage by searching for the oldest still-functioning LG television sets across the country.

The initiative, themed “The Oldest LG TV”, seeks to honour long-time customers whose LG screens have stood the test of time, while introducing them to the future of home entertainment through LG’s advanced AI QNED TVs.

For generations, LG televisions have been more than an electronic device in Nigerian homes, they have been silent witnesses to family milestones, cultural moments and shared memories.

This campaign bridges nostalgia with innovation, acknowledging the emotional connection Nigerians have built with the brand while showcasing LG’s leadership in AI-powered display technology.

The campaign features a storytelling -driven narrative that highlights community, heritage and the evolution of viewing experiences. Participants are invited to share the stories behind their long-serving LG TVs, transforming everyday screens into symbols of trust, resilience and innovation.

In creative twist, the campaign also introduces LG’s AI-enabled televisions as responsive companions that understand viewer preferences, recommend content and enhance picture quality in real time. This shift from nostalgia to futuristic interactivity underscores LG’s continued commitment to delivering smarter, more personalized entertainment solutions.

To participate, simply visit https://lgsearchcampaign.vercel.app/ upload a photo or video of your old LG TV and share the story behind it – how long you’ve had it and the memories it holds.

The winner walks away with a brand-new LG AI QNED TV, effectively trading legacy for luxury.

At its core, this campaign reminds us that technology is not only about pixels and processors, but about people. It’s about the laughter in the living rooms, the silence during tense match moments and the comfort of family routines.

By celebrating the oldest TVs still standing strong, LG is celebrating the people who kept the on, families who trusted the brand through changing times and evolving technologies. In doing so, LG isn’t just upgrading television, it’s upgrading memories into the future.

According to Mr. Choongbae Seok, General Manager, Media Entertainment Solutions, LG Electronics Nigeria, “The journey from our classic CRT Televisions to today’s AI QNED technology reflects how far both our customers and our innovation have come. Those early sets were built to last, and many are still functioning today, a testament to durability and consumer trust. This initiative allows us to honour that legacy while introducing a new era of intelligent viewing, where the screen does more than show content; it adapts, learns and enhances every moment”.

LG Display 2026 TV Models at InnoFest

LG Electronics (LG), a leader in AI-powered solutions for the home, outlined plans to accelerate growth in emerging markets at LG InnoFest 2026 MEA. The event, held in Abu Dhabi, provided a forum to share LG’s strategic direction and market outlook with regional partners. At the exhibition, LG displayed its premium 2026 AI TV lineup focusing heavily on advanced processing power, smarter picture and sound technologies. The flagship OLED evo G6 and 100-inch Micro RGB evo TVs are powered by the new Alpha 11 AI processor Gen 3 enabling faster and more intelligent performance. The OLED evo W6 Wallpaper TV, an ultra-slim television designed to sit flush against the wall like artwork uses true wireless connectivity, reducing cable clutter and creating a cleaner, minimal setup.


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African Leaders Highlight Africa’s AI Ambitions

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African leaders used the AU Summit in Addis Ababa over the weekend to sharpen the continent’s technology agenda, with Ethiopia positioning artificial intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure and connectivity as pillars of Africa’s economic future.

Opening the 39th African Union Summit, Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed outlined an ambitious vision to place Africa at the forefront of the global AI race, anchored by Ethiopia’s plan to launch what he described as Africa’s first AI-focused university.

“In 2020, Ethiopia established Africa’s first Artificial Intelligence Institute. Building on this foundation, we are preparing to launch an AI university anchored in the philosophy of Medemer, purposeful collaboration, to unite human values with machine intelligence and position Africa as a global leader in the age of intelligence,” Abiy told delegates. “

He framed AI not as a standalone sector, but as a cross-cutting enabler for governance, industry and social development. “Every river we manage, every city we design, and every digital platform we deploy must generate resilience, opportunity and dignity,” Abiy said. He further linked digital transformation to Agenda 2063’s long-term prosperity goals.

Beyond AI, the high-powered AU summit discussions highlighted digital identity, cross-border connectivity and telecom expansion as critical building blocks for an integrated African market. Ethiopia’s Digital Ethiopia 2030 roadmap, including its Faida digital ID ecosystem, was cited as a model for secure, interconnected public services.

Abiy pointed to aviation and telecom infrastructure as key accelerators for economic development across the continent. “Through Ethiopian Airlines, we connect people and markets. Ethio Telecom is expanding partnerships across Africa to bridge the digital divide,” he said.

The Ethiopian leader added that large-scale infrastructure projects are designed to anchor Africa deeper into global value chains.

The broader summit tech agenda also touched on regulatory harmonisation, digital trade and data governance, with leaders emphasizing that continental cooperation is essential to avoid fragmented digital markets.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the need for inclusive innovation, telling delegates that Africa’s digital rise must be “people-centered and opportunity-driven,” while African Union Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf stressed coordinated policy frameworks to accelerate adoption.

“AI capability, digital infrastructure and unified regulation are no longer optional ambitions, but strategic imperatives shaping the continent’s competitiveness in the intelligence era,” he said.

 


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NITDA Explores Partnership with Trust Stamp on Digital Trust and Innovation

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By Naeemah Junaid

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has held strategic discussions with representatives of Trust Stamp, a NASDAQ-listed global technology company, to explore potential areas of partnership aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital trust framework and advancing innovation within the digital economy.

The meeting, chaired by NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, focused on identifying collaborative opportunities aligned with Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and the Agency’s strategic priorities for building a secure, inclusive, and innovation-driven digital ecosystem.

Inuwa emphasised that trust remains a critical foundation for the growth of the digital economy, noting that secure systems and strong cybersecurity frameworks are essential for driving innovation, economic growth, and national development. He stated that building trust in digital platforms and services is key to accelerating adoption and unlocking opportunities across sectors.

He reiterated NITDA’s mandate as a regulator to create an enabling environment through forward-looking policies and regulatory frameworks that support innovation rather than promote specific technologies. According to him, government interventions are designed to stimulate markets, create opportunities, and empower both businesses and citizens to participate fully in the digital economy.

The Director General further reaffirmed Nigeria’s openness to investments that strengthen digital infrastructure and enhance digital services, stressing that sustainable national development is best driven by private sector participation under supportive regulatory and policy frameworks. He called for continued engagement to ensure alignment with national priorities and effective integration into Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

In his remarks, Trust Stamp Vice President, Jonathan Pasha, highlighted the company’s global experience in secure verification and trust technologies, describing its approach as partnership-oriented and focused on delivering long-term value within local ecosystems. He noted that the company prioritises collaboration with governments and private sector stakeholders to address local challenges and expand access to secure digital services.

Pasha referenced Trust Stamp’s ongoing operations in Nigeria, including its collaboration with a telecommunications provider to enhance SIM swap prevention and fraud detection capabilities. He also outlined the firm’s biometric tokenisation technology, which converts biometric data into secure, privacy-preserving representations, enabling verification processes without exposing sensitive information.

He explained that the technology supports secure verification, fraud prevention, financial inclusion initiatives, and the tokenisation of real-world assets, while being designed to function effectively in low-connectivity environments and on low-specification devices to expand access to digital services.

Both parties expressed interest in advancing technical-level discussions to identify specific areas of collaboration aligned with national priorities and Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.

NITDA reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a secure and trusted digital economy through strategic partnerships, robust regulatory frameworks, and initiatives that promote innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.


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