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Emirates Returns to Nigeria Airspace in Grand Style ▪︎ Lauds FG, Aviation Authority

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Emirates international airline, has resumed passenger services to Lagos, Nigeria, with a daily service.

The official delegation onboard was led by Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia; David Broz, Senior Vice President of Aeropoliticaland Airline Industry Affairs and Sami Aqil Abdullah, Senior Vice President Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support.

The official delegation from Nigeria onboard the flight included His Excellency, Festus Keyamo, Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria; His Excellency, Zayyan Ibrahim, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Dubai and the Northern Emirates and Adewale Babtunde Awolesi Head of Chancery, Consulate General of Nigeria. 

Soon after it landed, the airline hosted an exclusive event for VIPs, government officials, key representatives from Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Customs, Police and the Airforce, as well as trade and industry partners and corporate clients.

Commenting on the return of services, Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said, “This has been a long-awaited moment, and we are excited to resume operations to Lagos, helping reconnect travellers seamlessly to and through Dubai, coupled with a consistent, world-class experience onboard.

We would like to thank the Nigerian authorities, including the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, as well as the UAE authorities including His Excellency Salem Saeed Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Abuja, Nigeria and His Excellency Dr Abdulla Almandoos, Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in Lagos, for their support.

“We are committed to making this route a success and look forward to contributing to the Nigerian aviation industry’s growth and offering travellers and businesses more choice and connectivity to key destination across our network.”

His Excellency, Festus Keyamo, Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria said: “We are pleased to welcome Emirates back to Nigeria.

Emirates has become a global brand and Nigeria, being the most populous black nation in the world, is the sure destination for all major airlines in the world.

“So, this is a mutually beneficial relationship and we look forward to many years of seamless operations for the designated airlines of both countries to ply the route.”

EK783 departs Dubai at 0945hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1520hrs; the return flight EK784 takes off from Lagos at 1730hrs and lands in Dubai at 0510hrs the following day. The daily service has been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the US, the Far East and the wider Middle East and GCC, streamlining business and leisure travel to and from Nigeria.

The Dubai-Lagos service is operated with a Boeing 777-300ER, offering eight First class suites, 42 Business class seats and 304 economy class seats, with added comforts and perks in each cabin class.

Strengthening business links between UAE and Nigeria
With the resumption of operations to Lagos, Emirates provides frictionless connectivity to one of Africa’s major economic hubs, facilitating global trade and strengthening business ties, in line with the UAE and Nigeria’s strong bilateral trade relations.

Emirates SkyCargo will support Nigerian businesses by offering more than 300 tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity in and out of Lagos every week, into key markets such as UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Bahrain, among others.

Anticipated commodities such as Kola Nuts, food and beverages, and urgent courier material will be transported via the airline’s state-of-the-art hub in Dubai, quickly, efficiently, and reliably via the airline’s multi-vertical specialized product portfolio.

Imports into Nigeria are anticipated from key markets such as UAE, India and Hong Kong, with key commodities including a mix of general cargo, pharmaceuticals and electronics.

The Dubai-Lagos service is operated with a Boeing 777-300ER, offering eight First class suites, 42 Business class seats and 304 economy class seats, with added comforts and perks in each cabin class.

Emirates is one of only two airlines offering First Class in and out of Lagos, and offers an unrivalled experience with luxurious touches, a premium gastronomic selection of dishes and fine beverages, and one of the biggest screens in the sky, all in midst of comfort and privacy.

Offering the best experience across every class, passengers will dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus, complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages.

Customers can tune in to over 6,500 channels of global entertainment, including 23 Nigerian movies, series and other content on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.

To support travel to Dubai or onwards, Emirates will also facilitate 48 hour and 96 hour Dubai visa applications for travellers from Nigeria, an offer which is exclusive to the airline.

Celebrating the resumption of services, Emirates award-winning loyalty programme, Skywards, reinstated previous tier status levels for Skywards members to ensure continuation of earned benefits and recognition.

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Business

Algiers-Abuja direct flights begin April 6

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, announced the launch of Air Algérie’s inaugural direct flight service from Algiers to Abuja, set to begin on April 6, 2025.

This is said to strengthen the diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and Algeria.

According to a statement signed by the Acting Spokesperson for the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the new route, which is the result of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the two countries, will be operated by the national carrier, Air Algérie, using a Boeing 737 aircraft.

This new service is expected to boost connectivity, encourage tourism, and facilitate trade and investment between Nigeria and Algeria.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce the commencement of Air Algerie’s inaugural direct flight service from Algiers to Abuja, scheduled for 6th April 2025.

“This historic development marks a significant milestone in the growing diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and Algeria.

“It is pertinent to state that it is the implementation of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between both countries, which culminated in this successful venture,” the statement read in part.

The inaugural flight is expected to carry the Charge d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Algiers, Nigerian community leaders, and representatives from the Algerian government.

The Federal Government has extended congratulations to Air Algérie and offered its full support to ensure the success of the new service.

With affordable fares and Algeria’s proximity to Europe, the flight also offers Nigerians a convenient gateway to Europe, enhancing Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for business, tourism, and transit.

The statement added, “The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant aviation authorities, extends its warm congratulations to Air Algerie and assures all necessary support to ensure the success and sustainability of this new service.

“We believe this initiative will further strengthen the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and Algeria, while opening new opportunities for mutual growth.

“The affordable fare structure and the proximity of Algeria to Europe would also provide Nigerians with a convenient gateway to Europe, thereby enhancing Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for business, tourism, and transit.”

The ministry encouraged citizens and businesses to take advantage of this new connectivity to explore opportunities for trade, tourism and cultural exchanges between the two nations.

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FG borrows N13.21trn from World Bank in 20 months

The country’s debt profile has hit N142 trillion, according to data published by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

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The World Bank has approved over N13.21 trillion ($8billion) as loans for different developmental projects for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government in the last 20 months,

Daily Trust analyses of the various loans indicated that they were targeted at several interventions in various sectors of the economy with three fresh loans amounting to $1.1 billion approved between Friday and yesterday.

The country’s debt profile has hit N142 trillion, according to data published by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The 2025 budget of N54.99tn has a debt service component of N14.32tn and N13.64tn for recurrent expenditure.

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Women make up 15% of 288 new billionaires in 2025

One of the most striking trends among the newcomers is the high percentage of self-made billionaires.

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The newcomers come from 33 countries and territories, marking a significant rise from the 265 additions made in 2024.

Forbes’ 2025 World’s Billionaires list has welcomed a record 288 new billionaires, pushing the total number of billionaires to 3,028 globally.

This group, which includes entrepreneurs, investors, and heirs, is collectively valued at nearly $680 billion, averaging $2.4 billion per person.

The newcomers come from 33 countries and territories, marking a significant rise from the 265 additions made in 2024.

The United States remains the dominant force, contributing the most new billionaires with 103 additions this year.

Among the top names is Marilyn Simons, widow of quantitative hedge fund founder Jim Simons, whose net worth is estimated at $31 billion.

She stands alongside Lyndal Stephens Greth, the daughter of oil magnate Autry Stephens, who holds $25.8 billion following her father’s passing in 2024.Germany ranks second in terms of new entries, with 37 individuals joining the list, including Johannes von Baumbach. At 19 years old, he becomes the youngest new billionaire globally, with a fortune of $5.4 billion.

Along with von Baumbach, 14 other heirs to the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical empire also made their debut on the list.China and Hong Kong together contributed 32 new billionaires, with jeweller Xu Gaoming being one of the notable additions, valued at $8.2 billion. India saw 17 new billionaires, while Russia accounted for 15.

One of the most striking trends among the newcomers is the high percentage of self-made billionaires.

Of the 288 newcomers, 196 (approximately 70%) built their wealth from the ground up, rather than inheriting it.

The wealthiest self-made newcomer is Saudi Arabian entrepreneur Sulaiman Al Habib, whose fortune stands at $10.9 billion. Al Habib’s success is a notable achievement as Saudi Arabia has seen a resurgence of billionaires on the list for the first time since 2017.

Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old co-founder and CEO of Scale AI, is the youngest self-made billionaire this year, valued at $2 billion.

(BusinessDay)

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