General News
Nigeria to Receive First Dry-Leased Aircraft in 20 Years
Nigeria is set to receive a dry-leased aircraft on October 6, after nearly 20 years, according to Festus Keyamo, minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Festus Keyamo, minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
A dry lease is an arrangement in aviation where a leasing company (lessor) provides an aircraft to a lessee without crew, maintenance, insurance, or other operational services.
Keyamo made the announcement on Wednesday during the foundation-laying of Air Peace’s new maintenance hangar at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
He explained that the milestone comes through Air Peace, following Nigeria’s removal from a global blacklist as a result of implementing the Cape Town Convention.
For two decades, Nigerian airlines had relied solely on wet leases, but Keyamo noted that renewed global confidence in the nation’s aviation system had changed the narrative.
He explained that wet leases placed a heavy burden on passengers through inflated ticket prices, costly maintenance, and other overhead expenses.
“This is the first time we are going to have a dry lease. Dry lease means that confidence has returned to the Nigerian ecosystem.
“They are giving you your plane. Control it yourself. I wrote a personal guarantee for Air Peace to get that dry lease. I put my life and my reputation on the line,” he said.
On Air Peace’s upcoming Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, MRO, facility, Keyamo emphasized that the project would save Nigeria vast sums of foreign exchange and curb capital flight.
“What this is going to save in terms of FX to this country is incredible. Air Peace alone spends about N180 billion yearly for maintenance; imagine what other airlines are spending.
“Monies that should remain within our jurisdiction went out. That is capital flight. With this facility here, we are going to keep that within Nigeria.
“We are now going to attract people to bring in their money, not only ours, but we are going to attract foreign inflows.
“In the whole of West Africa and Central Africa, there are no good MROs. The good thing is that this facility will accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. You do not have such in the whole of West Africa and Central Africa,” he said.
He credited President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Brazil for helping secure Embraer’s partnership with Air Peace in providing technical support for the new facility. According to him, supporting indigenous operators remains central to his mandate, with the Federal Government committed to strengthening local airlines.
The minister further noted that the MRO would introduce a simulator for pilots, reducing reliance on overseas training while creating avenues for foreign exchange earnings. He called on commercial banks to reinvest in the aviation sector, stressing that aircraft financing was now more secure.
Keyamo also revealed that Air Peace had secured approvals for four new international routes—Italy, Canada, Paris, and Istanbul. Still, he lamented that Nigerian carriers currently handle only about five percent of outbound international passenger traffic.
Air Peace, in August, announced the start of its MRO project in collaboration with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, with completion expected within 12 to 15 months.
The facility will allow Embraer jets to be serviced locally, cutting costs and turnaround time.
Chairman Allen Onyema said, “By September 17, we are going to inaugurate the commencement of construction of our new MRO, and Embraer will operate maintenance for Embraer jets. You will now be able to do it here, and people will also come to Nigeria to do the same.”
Onyema emphasized that the airline’s planned Nigeria-Brazil route, scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025, was secured on merit and capacity, not just investment in Embraer.
He added, “In Brazil, they signed several MoUs, but what really impressed me was their partnership approach, one that respects our sovereignty and is mutually beneficial… President Lula’s warmth showed a genuine eagerness to work with Nigeria.”
Keyamo also stressed the importance of connecting both countries: “Brazil is the biggest economy in South America, and of course, Nigeria is considered the biggest economy in Africa. So connecting these two economies was very key to both presidents,” he said, pointing out that bilateral trade had dropped from $10 billion to $2 billion in the past decade.
The unveiling of Air Peace’s MRO facility and the arrival of the dry-leased aircraft mark a turning point for Nigeria’s aviation sector—boosting confidence, reducing reliance on expensive wet leases, retaining foreign exchange, and positioning the country as a regional hub for aircraft maintenance and services.
Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has cautioned the public against fake recruitment offers and fraudulent employment letters circulating in the agency’s name.
Eniola Akinkuotu, head of Media and Corporate Communications of the Commission, stated that NUPRC has received reports of counterfeit and AI-generated appointment letters bearing names not known to the regulator.
The Commission also said fraudsters have been extorting money from jobseekers by promising placement within the agency.
NUPRC has reported the incidents to law enforcement and said investigations are underway.
The regulator reiterated that there is no ongoing recruitment exercise and warned members of the public not to make any payments for supposed job offers.
“Whenever the Commission decides to recruit, the process will be conducted strictly in accordance with extant laws and government regulations,” the statement said.
The Commission urged jobseekers to verify any purported offer and to rely only on official NUPRC communications for recruitment information.
The warning follows growing concerns about the misuse of digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to fabricate apparently authentic documents that can deceive the public.
General News
Africa50 Secures Fresh Capital, Strategic Partnerships to Accelerate African Infrastructure
Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform, has secured new investment commitments and strategic partnerships with international investors and Tanzanian institutions aimed at mobilising capital for infrastructure development across Africa.
The agreements, announced at the 2026 Infra for Africa Forum in Dar es Salaam, include a US$20 million commitment from British International Investment (BII) to Africa50’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF), as well as partnerships covering natural gas, electricity transmission and healthcare infrastructure in Tanzania.
The latest commitments bring the IAF’s total capital commitments to approximately US$330 million.
Under one of the major agreements, Africa50, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and TAQA Arabia will develop the first phase of a small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) project designed to distribute domestic natural gas to industrial and transportation customers across Tanzania.
Africa50 is partnering with TAQA Arabia and TPDC on the project, providing project development, investment and financial structuring expertise to develop a bankable model that could be replicated in Tanzania and other markets.
Mussa M. Makame, Managing Director of TPDC, said the partnership demonstrated Tanzania’s commitment to leveraging its natural gas resources to support national development.
“As a gas supplier to this project, TPDC will work with the project partners to broaden domestic access to cleaner, reliable energy and create greater value for the Tanzanian economy,” he said.
Pakinam Kafafi, CEO of TAQA Arabia subsidiary Rosetta Energy Solutions, said the LNG project would convert Tanzania’s gas resources into reliable energy for industry, communities and transportation.
“This project will turn Tanzania’s abundant gas resources into reliable energy for industry, communities and transport, strengthening energy security and accelerating industrialization,” she said.
Africa50 also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO) to collaborate on electricity transmission Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
The partnership is expected to facilitate Tanzania’s first Independent Power Transmission (IPT) project, drawing on Africa50’s experience with its IPT project in Kenya.
Engineer Timoth Mgaya, Acting Managing Director of TANESCO, said the partnership would help Tanzania attract private capital and strengthen its transmission infrastructure.
“Partnering with Africa50 provides Tanzania with strategic project-development and financing expertise as we unlock private capital for Africa’s transmission infrastructure,” he said.
The agreement, he added, would contribute to the development of East Africa’s power market while supporting industrialisation, economic integration and inclusive growth.
In the healthcare sector, Africa50 and Tanzania’s Ministry of Health signed an MoU to expand access to renal care and dialysis services for patients suffering from kidney diseases.
The partnership is expected to provide healthcare infrastructure, reliable medical equipment, experienced operators and long-term investment to strengthen the country’s capacity to deliver life-saving renal services.
Meanwhile, BII’s US$20 million investment in the IAF makes the UK development finance institution the latest Limited Partner in the fund.
BII and Africa50 also signed an MoU to deepen cooperation and identify opportunities for co-investment and further mobilisation of capital into African infrastructure.
The IAF invests in equity and quasi-equity opportunities across power, transport and logistics, water and sanitation, digital infrastructure and social infrastructure.
The fund leverages Africa50’s relationships with African governments, corporates and project developers to deploy capital into infrastructure projects with strong commercial and development potential.
Leslie Maasdorp, Chief Executive Officer of BII, said the partnership would help mobilise additional capital into sustainable infrastructure across Africa.
“Africa’s infrastructure needs are significant, but so are the opportunities,” Maasdorp said. “By combining our expertise, networks and capital, we can help unlock investment that drives growth, creates jobs and improves lives.”
Alain Ebobissé, Group CEO of Africa50, said the new partnerships reflected the organisation’s evolution from a project development institution into a major infrastructure investment platform.
“Africa50 was created to develop bankable projects, mobilize finance for investments in Africa’s infrastructure and accelerate delivery,” he said.
According to Ebobissé, the organisation is now positioned to scale up infrastructure investment by translating the vision of African leaders into commercially viable projects capable of attracting capital from both African and international investors.
The agreements were announced as Africa50 marked its 10th anniversary under the theme, “A Decade of Economic Impact: From Vision to Delivery.”
MTN Nigeria, leading technology company, recently hosted undergraduates from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) for an immersive career engagement session, at the MTN Rooftop Plaza, Ikoyi, Lagos.
MTN
The event exposed students to career opportunities across cybersecurity, finance, internal audit and forensic investigations while providing practical insights into the skills required to succeed in today’s workplace.
The session was designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry by helping students better understand the diverse career paths available within the telecommunications and technology sector.
The engagement brought together students studying Economics, Banking and Finance, Cybersecurity and Accounting, providing an opportunity to interact directly with professionals from various business functions.
Through presentations and discussions, participants gained a deeper understanding of the competencies, experiences and continuous learning required to build successful careers in a rapidly evolving business environment.
The engagement comes at a time when technology-related roles, including cybersecurity specialists, are among the world’s fastest-growing occupations, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025.
During the visit, the students met with senior cybersecurity and forensic professionals who shared insights into their respective fields and discussed emerging trends shaping the future of work.
The sessions also highlighted the wide range of career opportunities available across different fields, demonstrating that success in the industry is not limited to any particular course of study.
Undergraduates were also introduced to the evolving nature of the audit profession, as data analytics, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly important areas of focus for internal auditors.
During a session on building a meaningful career in Internal Auditing, undergraduates were encouraged to approach their professional journeys with purpose, continuous learning and a commitment to personal growth.
The session emphasised that career success extends beyond securing employment and involves developing relevant skills, understanding one’s strengths and intentionally pursuing opportunities that align with personal values and long-term goals.
Speaking during the engagement, Chief Internal Audit and Forensic Services Officer, Ibe Kalu Etea, represented by the General Manager, Internal Audit and Forensics, Wasiu Ibrahim, encouraged the undergraduates to remain open to opportunities beyond their academic backgrounds and focus on developing transferable skills. “Students can take any career path they want to. You can upskill and transition into a different career, even if it is not what you studied in school.
“Do not let your course of study determine your career path. Focus on building relevant skills, staying curious and continuously learning because opportunities exist across many fields,” he said.
The Undergraduates also participated in an interactive question-and-answer session, where they sought guidance on career development, workplace expectations and professional growth.
The initiative reflects MTN Nigeria’s commitment to nurturing future talent by connecting young people with industry leaders and equipping them with the knowledge, exposure and confidence needed to navigate their career journeys.
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