Business

NCAA Declares 44,712 Luggages Missing On Nigeria’s Airlines

Published

7 years ago

March 11, 2019

At least, 44,712 luggages were declared missing among 29 local and international airlines that operated in Nigeria’s airports in 2018, a report obtained from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has revealed.
The report further revealed that in 2018, there were at least 15,645 flights operated on international routes, while another 59,818 flights were operated on the domestic routes within the period.
NCAA stated that its Consumer Protection Directorate (CPD) received a total number of 161 complaints from air travellers in 2018 with 99 of such complaints resolved by the directorate.
The breakdown indicated that the CPD received 74 complaints on the international scene and resolved 36 of such, while 87 complaints were received from the local operating airlines with 63 of such resolved within the period under review.
According to the report, Air France led the pack with 6,175 missing luggage on the international scene, while Air Peace led the other eight indigenous carriers on the local scene with 66 missing baggage within the period under review.
The report, however, indicated that 41,498 of the missing luggage were later retrieved by their owners, while the other 3,214 luggage could not be recovered by the airport authorities.
Apart from Air France with the 6,175 missing luggage, on the international scene, other airlines involved in missing luggage were KLM with 5,088; African World Airlines, 308; Air Cote d’Ivoire, 670; Air Namibia, 221; Arik Air, 172 and Asky, 1,167;
Continuing : British Airways, 4,273; Cam Air-Co, 109; Cronos Air, one; Delta Air Lines, 3,473; Egypt Air, 2,448; Emirates, 1,725; Ethiopian Air, 1,946; Etihad, 472; Kenya, 1,152, and Lufthansa with 3,750 missing luggage.
Others were Mediana, 218; Med-View, 25; Middle East, eight; Mid Africa, 112; Qatar Airways, 1,238; Royal Air Maroc, 2,624; RwandAir, 1,234; South African Airways, 762; Turkish Air, 4,348, and Virgin Atlantic had 1,166 missing luggage within the period.
On the local scene, out of the eight local airlines that operated within the period under review, seven out of them, except Azman Air, had issues of missing baggage in 2018.
According to the report, Air Peace had 66 missing luggage with 63 of them recovered within the period, while Arik Air recorded 59 missing luggage with 55 of them recovered.
Also, Dana Air had 34 of its air passengers’ luggage missing with 32 of them recovered between January and December, 2018; Aero Contractors had six missing luggage with all of them recovered within the period.
Besides, Max Air recorded four missing luggage with all of them recovered, while Med-View and Overland Airways also had two luggage of their passengers missing within the period, but were later recovered.
In all, 173 luggage were declared missing in 2018, but 164 of them were recovered with nine not returned to their owners till date, according to the report.
Besides, the report indicated that in 2018, no fewer than 734 flights were cancelled among operating airlines, international and local.
Of these numbers, 190 were cancelled on the international scene, while a massive 544 occurred within the local airlines.
In all, there were 85 air returns in 2018; 25 among international carriers and 60 among the local operating airlines.
According to NCAA, all the operating airlines recorded 70 overbooking between January and December 2018 with international airline recording 11, while 58 of such occurred among the eight local carriers.
The regulatory agency in the report further stated that air travellers on local and international scenes experienced 92 numbers of luggage pilfering across the airport with 63 of such recorded on the international scene, while the other 29 was on the local scene.
The regulatory agency’s report emphasised that in the past year, all the international airports in the country recorded a total number of 1,994,099 in-bound passengers and 2,084,980 out-bound passengers, thereby bringing the total of international passengers to 4,079,079.
On the local scene, a total number of 10,092,643 were in-bound and out-bound passengers.
Of these numbers, 5,033,669 were in-bound passengers, while the other 5,058,974 were out-bound passengers.
The record showed that the entire Nigerian airports recorded 14,171,722 passenger movements in the past year.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

Pipeline Explosion In Abua Odua, LGA Chair Calls For Calm

Published

4 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fresh explosions have hit oil and gas pipelines in Odau Community, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, triggering a major security and environmental crisis that has forced residents to abandon their homes.

The first incident occurred along the Kolo Creek – Rumuekpe crude oil pipelines, operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.

This was followed by a gas pipeline explosion on the Ogboinbiri – Obirikom Gas Pipeline, operated by Oando Plc, in the same week.

In a statement by the Abua/Odual Council Chairman, Hon. Owolobi Michael Ofori said the blasts, suspected to be the handiwork of militants, have unleashed persistent gas leakage in the area, raising fears of fire outbreaks and toxic exposure as residents of Odau have largely deserted the community due to the dangerous situation.

According to him, some residents of the area have been hospitalised after inhaling the leaking gas, adding that the impact has spread to neighbouring communities, including Obedum, Emirikpoko, and Anyu in Abua/Odual LGA, as well as Oruma and Ibelebiri in Bayelsa State.

Hon. Ofori expressed deep concern over the plight of the affected residents and urged the operating companies to act swiftly.

The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to all affected persons and communities and remained gravely concerned about the safety, health, and welfare of residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by these incidents.

“We call on Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Oando Plc to immediately deploy all necessary technical and emergency response resources to contain the fires, halt the gas leakage, secure the affected pipeline corridors, and mitigate further environmental and public health risks.” the Council Chairman Said.

The chairman also appealed to the two oil firms to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the displaced residents while work continues to restore normalcy.

The Council Chairman said he is working closely with security agencies and emergency responders to monitor the situation and coordinate necessary interventions.

The Council Boss advised Residents of the Local Government Area to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and adhere strictly to safety directives.

Ofori further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Rivers State Government, and other relevant bodies to intervene urgently to prevent loss of lives and environmental damage.

Hon. Ofori assured that the council remains committed to the protection and welfare of its people and will continue to engage all stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

Enoch Epelle

Business

Fidelity Bank Collaborates YEIDEP To Empower Nigerian Students

Published

4 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through a strategic partnership with the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP), a Federal Government-backed initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills, support and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods.

Under the partnership, the bank will support the enrolment of students and young people into the YEIDEP programme, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment, promote enterprise development and expand economic participation among Nigeria’s growing youth population.

The next phase of the initiative is scheduled to end today at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where the enrolment exercise for students and youths across the South-East that started since July 1st would be concluded at the university’s Convocation Arena.

The exercise is expected to reach more than 60,000 regular undergraduate students.

Speaking on the partnership, Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head, Product Development, Osita Ede, said youth empowerment remains central to the bank’s vision of building a more inclusive and prosperous society.

He noted that Nigeria’s youths represent the country’s greatest asset and stressed that providing them with the right skills, opportunities and financial support is critical to unlocking their potential and driving national development.

According to Ede, the bank continues to provide young Nigerians with tools for success through its digital banking platforms, financial literacy initiatives, youth-focused products and strategic partnerships.

He added that Fidelity Bank recognises that limited access to funding, mentorship and business development support remains a major challenge for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and is committed to creating pathways that will help them overcome these barriers.

The bank said its support for YEIDEP aligns with its longstanding commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which it described as key drivers of economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.

Interested students and youths have been encouraged to open Fidelity Bank accounts and register for the programme through the bank’s dedicated online portal.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

NPA Launches Multi-Agency Taskforce To Combat Apapa Traffic Gridlock

Published

4 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos Port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in Port efficiency.

The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.

At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.

According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the Port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.

He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.

To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.

On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.

He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.

He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing Port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s Port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.

“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos