NEWS
Nigeria’s Airline Capacity Hits 1.19m Seats — FAAN
By David Torough, Abuja
Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity rose to 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The Managing Director of FAAN and Vice President of Airports Council International (ACI) Africa, Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the ACI Africa Conference and Exhibition 2026.
Kuku said Nigeria’s aviation market is now the fourth-largest in Africa, recording more than 18.
8 million domestic and international passengers in 2025, an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase.She said data from aviation intelligence provider OAG showed that Nigeria recorded the fastest growth in scheduled airline capacity among Africa’s top 10 aviation markets in September 2026.
According to her, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos also recorded the fastest growth in scheduled seat capacity among Africa’s 10 largest airports, with a 24.1 per cent increase during the month.
Kuku attributed the growth in Nigeria’s aviation capacity to currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and increased confidence among international airlines seeking to expand operations to the country.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” Kuku described it as a strategic mandate for Africa’s aviation industry and a call for coordinated action to strengthen the continent’s airports and airlines.
She cited International Air Transport Association (IATA) data showing that African airlines recorded a 6.4 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in July 2026.
Kuku noted that Africa’s growth contrasted with a 0.1 per cent decline in global international passenger demand during the same period. She added that the continent’s overall passenger demand increased by 5.2 per cent, placing it second only to Latin America and the Caribbean and above the global average of 0.2 per cent.
According to her, the figures reflect increased movement of people for business, healthcare, family connections and other economic activities across the continent.
However, Kuku cautioned that passenger and capacity growth alone would not resolve the structural challenges confronting Africa’s aviation sector.
She noted that Africa accounts for only about 1 per cent of global air traffic despite being home to approximately 18 per cent of the world’s population. She also highlighted below-average load factors and the fragile financial position of many African airlines.
“In Nigeria alone, with a population exceeding 220 million, we record approximately 19.5 million passengers annually across 28 airports,” she said, adding that the figures demonstrate both the scale of the market and the significant room for further growth.
Kuku identified funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, fragmented connectivity and the need to balance affordable charges with the provision of world-class airport facilities as some of the key challenges facing the sector.
She said the issues were central to the discussions at the ACI Africa conference, which brought together aviation stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.
NEWS
They Planted Juju in my Jacket at Davido’s House – Peruzzi
Singer Peruzzi has narrated how a charm was planted in his jacket during his stay at Davido’s house.
Peruzzi was signed to Davido’s record label, DMW, in 2017.
Davido dissolved the label in April 2024.
However, discussing his experience during his stay at Davido’s house, Peruzzi narrated how a charm was planted in his jacket.
Speaking in a video interview online, he said, “I took a shower one evening, like at 6 pm. Just a shower and then went to go and meet them back downstairs because I was chilling there before I went upstairs in David house when I was still living there.
“And then I was done taking the shower. I go to my wardrobe to get my clothes, and then one of my jackets is just telling me, ‘Pull me, wear me, wear me, wear me.’ I don’t know how to explain it, but I was just having the urge to wear it.”So, I carry am (the jacket), and something just dropped inside, and when I looked, it was jaz, better juju inside my room. A jacket that just came from the laundry.”
NEWS
AFSNET Business Conference Kicks off in Calabar
From Ene Asuquo, Calabar
The 6th African sub – sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference has started in Calabar the cross river state capital as Afreximbank opens a $2 billion tap for Cross River State and other African sub-sovereign governments for the financing of bankable projects that can turn around their economies.
Making the disclosure in Calabar in a press briefing, The Director, Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion, Afreximbank, Dr.
Gainmore Zanamwe, said the 6th African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference (AfSNET 2026) is going to be a three day event, running from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th November, 2026.Dr Zanamwe stated that, the Bank has the facility ready to finance. According to him, “Some people say funding is a problem. From Africa we say no. The $2 billion is there,” Zanamwe said. “Go and tell your people. You people in the media, go and tell people that money is there,” stressing that the bank is fully prepared to spend the next three days, November 12, 13 and 14, in Calabar enlightening states on how to access the fund. “How do you then access the funding? He asked.
“That is what we’ll be telling everybody in the course of the next three days. We’ll be showing you how you can tap into the $2 billion to do your projects. We’ll make it very simple.” He maintained.
Zanamwe stated that only states that present properly packaged, bankable projects will benefit. “We’ll start tomorrow with a training on how to identify projects in your states. Some normally start by saying there’s a project in this, they then run to the investors. It doesn’t work that way. We’ll be breaking it down,” he said.
“We would like, under the leadership of your Governor, to be able to start from the vision and say this is the vision in terms of promoting trade investment in your states. Once you start from that big vision, you cannot do everything. You need to focus. Identify two or three sectors that you really need to focus on and promote,” he added.
He explained that capital can be raised in two ways: by preparing a project and making it bankable for financial institutions like Afreximbank, or by preparing a pitch deck to generate interest from potential investors.
He also promoted Africa Direct Investment, saying an investor from Lagos or South Africa can as well enjoy the same privileges and incentives given to an investor from America.
He stressed that governors will pitch their projects on November 13 and 14, adding that in the last five years, the initiative has facilitated opportunities worth more than $3 billion, trained over 2,000 people, and worked with 21 African countries.
Also speaking on behalf of Governor Bassey Otu, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, welcomed investors to the state.
“With Cross River State’s agrarian economy being rejuvenated by this administration, for the first time a very deliberate attempt is being taken to be able to make sure that our diverse products are being properly processed to meet international standards,” Cobham said.
NEWS
RMAFC Advocates Fair Share of 13 Per Cent Revenue Derivation Among Oil Producing States
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has advocated a fair distribution of the 13 per cent derivation revenue among states that produce oil and gas.
The Chairman of the commission, Mohammed Shehu, made the appeal on Thursday in Owerri during the inauguration of an oil and gas wells verification exercise.
Shehu explained that the commission’s constitutional responsibilities under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, include monitoring revenue generated into and disbursed from the Federation Account, including funds allocated under the 13 per cent derivation arrangement.
He said the exercise would focus on identifying and confirming the geographical coordinates of disputed oil and gas wells, alongside newly drilled wells between 2017 and 2026.
According to him, an Inter-Agency Technical Committee established for the assignment would carry out physical inspections of the affected wells, verify their locations and ensure that their coordinates were accurately recorded using officially approved maps.
He added that the committee would also take relevant court judgments into consideration when addressing disputes involving oil and gas well locations.
Shehu said the committee would forward its technical findings directly to the commission for review, ratification and eventual adoption.
He described the verification exercise as essential to ensuring that revenue allocations from the Federation Account are accurate and fairly distributed, explaining that the geographical positions of oil and gas wells determine the financial entitlements of producing states.
“This exercise represents a crucial phase in establishing statutory accuracy, technical fidelity, and fiscal equity within the Federation Account allocation framework,” he said.
He further explained that the precise coordinates and geographical positions of oil and gas wells have direct implications for the legal and financial rights of the respective states.
The RMAFC chairman urged officials participating in the exercise to adhere strictly to professional surveying procedures, recognised maps and relevant legal requirements in carrying out their assignments.
He reiterated that the technical committee’s report would be submitted solely to the commission for administrative review and formal approval.


