Emirates Airlines resumes daily flights from Dubai to Lagos, Nigeria

Emirates Airlines has restarted daily passenger flights to Nigeria, connecting Dubai and Lagos cities.

The first Dubai-Lagos flight was conducted on October 1, 2024, following a two-year suspension. Emirates halted it flights to Nigeria on October 29, 2022, due to trapped funds and the government’s inability to provide dollars for foreign carriers to take as their profits.

“This has been a long-awaited moment, and we are excited to resume operations to Lagos, helping reconnect travelers seamlessly to and through Dubai,” Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Airlines, said in a press release published on October 3, 2024.

The new daily flight from Dubai to Lagos, EK783, is scheduled to leave Dubai at 09:45 local time and reach Lagos at 15:20 local time. The return flight, EK784, departs Lagos at 17:30 local time and arrives back in Dubai at 05:10 local time the following day. The new route is operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Dubai-Lagos service has been scheduled to optimize connections to and from key locations in Europe, the US, Far East and the wider Middle East, making it easier to travel to and from Nigeria. Emirates will also help travelers from Nigeria with 48-hour and 96-hour Dubai visa applications.

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

Additionally, Emirates SkyCargo, the air freight division of Emirates, will assist Nigerian businesses by providing over 300 tons of cargo space in and out of Lagos every week. The cargo will be sent to the markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Bahrain.

Nigeria is expected to receive imports from markets such as UAE, India and Hong Kong, featuring a variety of items such as general cargo, medicine and electronics.

By Goda Labanauskaitė, AeroTime

Related story: Ban lifted on Nigerian Travelers to UAE After president Tinubu’s Visit

 

Nigeria Looks To Jumpstart Natural Gas Sector with Tax Cuts

Nigeria is moving forward with a new policy framework aimed at jumpstarting its natural gas sector, hoping to draw in up to $10 billion in investments. The proposed measures include a series of tax incentives to attract both local and international investors to explore the country's deep-water gas resources.

The framework, which has already been approved by the Federal Executive Council, now awaits approval from the National Assembly. Once passed into law, this policy is expected to fast-track the development of Nigeria's natural gas infrastructure. Not only will this accelerate gas exploration and production, but it will also help the country transition away from relying heavily on fossil fuels for transportation. By doing so, Nigeria aims to boost its energy security and reduce its dependence on imported fuels.

The Nigerian government's strategic push toward natural gas is part of a broader effort to secure long-term energy independence and stabilize the economy. By providing tax breaks and other incentives, the government is positioning the gas sector as a key growth area that can create jobs, attract foreign investment, and reduce the nation's carbon footprint.

With the global shift toward cleaner energy, Nigeria's focus on natural gas development is timely. The success of this policy could significantly alter the nation's energy landscape and place it at the forefront of Africa's growing gas industry. Investors and industry professionals are now watching closely to see how quickly the new laws are implemented and how effectively they drive real change.

Earlier this week, Nigeria was set to approve the proposed $1.3-billion sale of ExxonMobil's shallow water assets to local firm Seplat. The transaction has been stuck at the regulatory approval level for months. While seeing its shallow water assets in Nigeria, it is looking to boost its deepwater investments in the country.

By Julianne Geiger, OilPrice

Borno state hit by cholera amid flood devastation

A cholera outbreak has hit Nigeria's northeastern Borno state, already reeling from floods that displaced nearly 2 million people, an official said on Friday.

Cholera outbreaks are not uncommon in Borno, the epicentre of a 15-year-old Islamist insurgency that has displaced thousands into camps and strained sanitation facilities and potable water sources.

Borno Health Commissioner Baba Mallam Gana told reporters that 17 cases have been recorded following tests, but no deaths so far.

"However, we are recording an increasing number of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/suspected Cholera which is not unconnected with the flood devastation," Gana said.

Almost 500 cases of AWD have been recorded, Gana said, with five local government areas mostly affected.

Flooding in Borno began when a dam overflowed following heavy rains, displacing millions from their homes and damaging health facilities and other infrastructures.

Gana said that to combat the latest outbreak, the state got 300,000 oral cholera vaccine (OCV) doses from the federal health ministry, which have been distributed across displacement camps and flood-hit communities.

The state is waiting for an additional 600,000 doses of the vaccine to ensure adequate coverage, he said.

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters

Video - Nigerians skeptical as president pledges investor-friendly policies

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu says the policies he's trying to implement, such as reducing taxes on businesses, will make it easy for investors to come into the country. He has called on citizens to be patient.

CGTN

At least 60 dead in Nigeria boat accident

Nigeria (Reuters) -At least 60 people were killed after a boat carrying mostly women and children returning from a religious festival in Nigeria's northern Niger state capsized this week, a local official said.

About 160 people have now been rescued after the wooden boat ferrying nearly 300 passengers sank on Tuesday night on the River Niger around the Gbajibo Community, said Jibril Abdullahi Muregi, chairman of the Mokwa local government area.

The boat was returning to Gbajibo from Mundi after the annual Maulud celebration when disaster struck, Muregi said in a statement late on Wednesday

Rescue operations are still ongoing, he said.

It was not yet clear why the boat sank.

Overcrowding and poor maintenance are responsible for most boat accidents on Nigerian waterways.

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters

Related story: At least 20 feared dead in Nigeria boat accident