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Global Airline Records Share Prices Increase – IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said global airline share prices had increased by 5.2 per cent over the month of March as recovery from January declined.
In “Airlines Financial Monitor’’ produced by IATA and released by its Corporate Communication Unit in Abuja, the prices were 1.3 per cent below the start of 2016 figure.
The report stated that Asia Pacific and European carriers’ share prices saw the biggest month-on-month rises above 6.5 per cent and six per cent, respectively, while U.S. airlines saw a smaller gain.
It added that airline shares underperformed the wider equity market modestly in March, having fallen for four consecutive months in month-on-month terms between November, 2015 and February, 2016.
According to the report, the latest airline financial results from Q4, 2015, further cemented the picture of a strong end to 2015, driven by carriers in North America.
The report said that annual growth in global passenger traffic accelerated to 8.6 per cent in February, 2016, because of the upward trend in seasonally-adjusted traffic, which remained strong during the month.
It added that further falls in air fares were likely to be seen in 2016 as fuel hedging contracts unwind and the decline in oil prices seen towards the end of last year fed through.
“The freight load factor in January and February combined was well below average for the time of year, keeping cargo yields under pressure.
“In general, airlines have reacted to robust travel demand over the recent past by adding capacity cautiously.
“February was the first month since the middle of last year in which annual capacity growth exceeded that of passenger traffic, and it is something to monitor,’’ it stated.
According to the report, annual growth in industry-wide freight capacity has now outstripped annual growth in freight volumes for 12 consecutive months.
It said the number of available seats in the global airline fleet increased by 0.6 per cent in February compared to the previous month, and by 5.7 per cent compared to February, 2015.
“The recent turnaround in net storage activity mainly relates to fewer aircraft going into storage, as lower oil prices and robust demand have made it economical to keep flying less fuel-efficient aircraft,’’ it stated.
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BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.
NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.
Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.
A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.
However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.
The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.
