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FAAN Operates New VIP Lounge At PH Airport …As RSG Lounge Remains Shut

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5 years ago

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) now operates a new VIP/Protocol lounge at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, where top political office holders and top company executives, among others, are hosted while in the airport.
The Tide’s findings revealed that while the VIP/Protocol lounge owned by the Rivers State Government remained under lock and key, governors and other personalities are now being diverted to the new lounge being run by FAAN.
When contacted for comments on the development, the Head of the Corporate Affairs Department at the airport, Mr Kindle Akinbode, explained to The Tide that it was not FAAN but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that closed the Rivers State Protocol Lounge.
According to him, the regulating agency closed the lounge because it did not meet the Covid-19 standard protocols for operation.
“The NCAA said that all the taps dispensers and door at the lounge must be changed from manual to sensor ones to avoid touch.
“I personally sent a letter to the governor of the state through the Chief of Staff, informing him of the  development, two weeks before we resumed operation at the airport.
“The protocol lounge was built and is maintained by the Rivers State Government, and everything you see there is put by them, and what we do is to run the place because it is within the airport environment, on behalf of the state government.
“The governor was aware of the standards of the Covid-19, and he had promised to address the issue of the lounge, and I know the efforts made by FAAN here to the extent that individuals had to raise money to meet  the standards for this airport to resume operations”, he said.
Akinbode, however, described the relationship between FAAN and the Rivers State Government in running the lounge as symbiotic, adding that the other lounge belonging to FAAN is now serving as a bridge for VIPs to be received while at the  airport.
He said that while the Rivers State Government’s VIP lounge attracts no charge, FAAN charges a token of N3,000 for those that make use of the FAAN’s VIP lounge with the exception of the governors.

 

Corlins Walter

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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23 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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23 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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23 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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