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Seven Ibom Air engineers achieve professional upgrade

IBOM Air has celebrated a milestone in its technical operations, with the professional advancement of seven of its licenced aircraft engineers, reaffirming the airline’s commitment to developing indigenous aviation talent and strengthening its maintenance capabilities.

The engineers were honoured at a ceremony recognising their successful professional upgrades, a development the airline described as another step in building a world-class technical workforce to support its expanding operations.

Those recognised are: Itohowo Umoh, Daniel Thompson, Emediong Nsima Umoh, Chrisking Uduak Ekeng, Emediong Cosmas, Wisdom Udoigwe and Inyeneobong Essien.

According to the airline, the achievement underscores its continued investment in human capital and technical excellence as it expands its footprint across Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

The recognition comes at a significant period for the Akwa Ibom State-owned carrier, which recently commenced both domestic and international flight operations from the ultra-modern terminal at Victor Attah International Airport.

Ibom Air said the development reflects its strategy of nurturing homegrown professionals while ensuring its engineering personnel attain and maintain globally recognised standards required for modern airline operations.

Management of the airline expressed pride in the engineers’ dedication and commitment to professional development, stressing that continuous investment in technical personnel remains central to sustaining the airline’s strong safety culture and operational reliability.

The carrier noted that a highly skilled engineering workforce is critical to ensuring aircraft airworthiness, minimising operational disruptions and delivering the consistent on-time performance.

Talent alone is not enough for lasting success – Ramsey Nouah

Veteran Nollywood actor, Ramsey Nouah has said talent alone is not enough to build a successful career, stressing that discipline and consistency are what help people achieve long-term success.

Speaking in an interview shared on Instagram on Tuesday, the 55-year-old actor reflected on his career in the film industry, saying many people often confuse fame with success without recognising the work that happens behind the scenes.

‘I’ve come to know and learn that talent is not enough. Discipline is what actually keeps you consistent when inspiration fails you,’ Nouah said.

He noted that while people often admire the public side of success, they rarely see the effort, sacrifices and challenges involved.

‘A lot of people assume that success is like giving, but it’s not. They never see the work, the effort, the doubts and everything behind the scenes,’ he said.

‘They usually don’t see it, and they always think that when you’re famous, you’re successful already. That’s what it means, that’s what it takes.’

Responding to a question about whether achieving success is harder than maintaining it, Nouah said consistency matters more because success can be temporary.

‘Success is a given, but it can happen just once. Consistency is what really matters, consistency. And for you to be consistent, you need discipline,’ he added.

Nouah has spent more than three decades in Nollywood, building a career as an actor, director and producer.

His works include Living in Bondage as a director and producer, while he has also starred in productions such as Netflix’s Blood Sisters.

LOLC Insurance, Seylan Bank celebrate bancassurance excellence

LOLC Insurance recently hosted the ‘LOLC Insurance – Seylan Bancassurance Felicitation Night 2025’ under the theme ‘League of Greatness,’ celebrating the success of its longstanding bancassurance partnership with Seylan Bank. The event marked another milestone in a strategic collaboration that has continued to grow since 2013.

The felicitation ceremony brought together senior management, sales leadership, branch representatives, and top-performing teams from both organisations to recognise excellence, appreciate contributions, and reaffirm the enduring partnership between LOLC Insurance and Seylan Bank. The collaboration currently spans 104 Seylan Bank branches across Sri Lanka, delivering accessible life and general insurance solutions islandwide.

Seylan Bank PLC Director/CEO Ramesh Jayasekara said: ‘Our partnership with LOLC Insurance continues to create meaningful value for customers while further strengthening the bancassurance proposition within the banking sector. The dedication and collaborative spirit demonstrated by both teams have been instrumental in achieving these milestones and sustaining the growth of this partnership. We look forward to enhancing our collaboration and delivering greater value to customers in the years ahead.’

Seylan Bank Deputy General Manager – Retail Banking Eugene Seneviratne said: ‘The professionalism and operational efficiency demonstrated by the bancassurance teams have been instrumental in consolidating this partnership. Our branch teams continue to seamlessly manage day-to-day bancassurance functions with minimal operational escalations, reflecting the strength of a well-structured and highly efficient framework. This has contributed to a smooth and mutually beneficial working relationship, enabling the partnership to enhance coordination, execution, and overall performance.’

LOLC General Insurance Chairman/Principal Officer and LOLC Life Assurance Director Kithsiri Gunawardena said: ‘Successful partnerships are built on trust, shared values, and a common vision. The strength and longevity of this collaboration reflect the commitment of both organisations to delivering meaningful impact to customers while advancing the country’s bancassurance sector. The positive feedback and appreciation consistently received from Seylan Bank regarding the quality of service delivered and the steadfast support extended by the teams stand as a testament to the professionalism and service excellence upheld throughout the partnership.’

LOLC Life Assurance Executive Director/Principal Officer and LOLC General Insurance Director Chandana L. Aluthgama said: ‘The synergy between LOLC Insurance and Seylan Bank has strengthened access to insurance solutions across the country. This longstanding collaboration reflects the type of innovation that arises from a strategic partnership anchored in a shared customer-centric approach, which has shaped a successful and sustainable bancassurance journey while supporting the long-term growth of both organisations.’

The ‘League of Greatness’ felicitation night reflected the shared commitment of LOLC Insurance and Seylan Bank to strengthen Sri Lanka’s bancassurance landscape through collaboration, innovation, and service excellence.

SAHCO deploys evacuation chair for passengers with reduced mobility

SKYWAY Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC has acquired the Evac+ Chair emergency evacuation chairs specially for passengers with reduced mobility.

With this latest investment, SAHCO becomes the first and only aviation ground handling company in Nigeria to deploy this specialized mobility equipment, further enhancing its ability to provide safe, dignified, and efficient assistance to passengers with reduced mobility.

The EVAC+CHAIR, recognised globally as the world’s leading stairway evacuation chair since 1982, is specially designed to provide a safe and comfortable means of moving passengers with reduced mobility during emergencies or when navigating stairways.

Using an advanced gravity and friction control system, the chair safely ascends and descends stairs without the need for heavy lifting, reducing physical strain on operators while ensuring maximum safety and comfort for passengers.

With secure harnesses, durable rubber track systems and ergonomic design, the equipment enables trained personnel to safely assist passengers who are unable to move independently, making aircraft boarding, disembarkation and emergency evacuation more efficient and seamless.

The acquisition underscores SAHCO’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that every passenger, regardless of physical ability or mobility challenges, receives safe, dignified and world-class ground handling services.

Speaking on the development on behalf of Chairman, Dr. Barr.Taiwo Afolabi, the Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Adenike Aboderin, said the investment reflects the company’s commitment to delivering world-class services that cater to the needs of every passenger.

‘At SAHCO, we believe that air travel should be accessible, safe and comfortable for everyone. This investment demonstrates our commitment to inclusive service delivery by ensuring that passengers with reduced mobility receive the highest level of care, dignity and professional assistance. We continuously invest in modern equipment and innovative solutions that improve safety, operational efficiency and customer experience,’ Aboderin said.

She added that the acquisition strengthens SAHCO’s reputation as the preferred ground handling partner for airlines operating into Nigeria, noting that the company remains committed to maintaining international best practices across all areas of its operations.

New Anthoney’s takes on antimicrobial resistance to make Sri Lankan poultry safer

Sri Lanka consumes roughly 258,000 metric tonnes of chicken annually, according to the Department of Animal Production and Health, and that figure has been climbing steadily as protein awareness grows and fast-food culture deepens. Behind that volume lies a practice that most consumers never see: the routine use of antibiotics in commercial poultry farming, applied not to treat disease but to accelerate growth and compensate for poor biosecurity. New Anthoney’s Farms, one of Sri Lanka’s few antibiotic-free poultry producers, has spent years building a credible counter-argument to that norm, and the science increasingly backs its position.

Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is the process by which bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to defeat the drugs designed to treat them. The World Health Organization has described AMR as one of the greatest threats to global public health, attributing 1.27 million deaths directly to resistant bacterial infections in 2019 alone, with the broader toll estimated at 4.95 million deaths when infections to which AMR contributed are included. The WHO now projects that without coordinated action, AMR could cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, surpassing cancer as a leading cause of mortality.

The livestock sector is a significant driver. Antibiotics administered to animals pass through the food chain and into the environment, accelerating resistance in bacteria that affect both animals and humans. In the poultry industry specifically, the pattern is well established: farms under pressure to produce faster and at lower cost turn to antibiotics as a management crutch rather than a last resort.

What the data shows in Sri Lanka

Local research confirms the scale of the problem. A study published in the Sri Lanka Veterinary Journal examining commercial poultry farms in the Kurunegala district found that 98% of farms surveyed were using at least one antimicrobial drug, with enrofloxacin, amoxicillin and tetracycline among the most common. Resistance profiles from faecal samples showed tetracycline resistance at 81.8% and resistance to fluoroquinolones including ciprofloxacin at 31.8%. These are not obscure compounds: ciprofloxacin is a critically important antibiotic in human medicine, classified by the WHO as essential for treating severe infections where few alternatives exist.

The implications are direct. When resistance builds up in poultry gut bacteria and those bacteria enter the food chain, soil, or water supply, they carry their resistance traits with them. Consumers who never take an antibiotic themselves can still be exposed to resistant organisms through the food they eat.

New Anthoney’s position in the market

New Anthoney’s established its antibiotic-free model not as a marketing angle but as a production philosophy tied to long-term commercial viability and public health responsibility. The company’s Harithahari range of chicken is certified antibiotic-free, produced under strict biosecurity protocols that eliminate the conditions that prompt conventional farmers to reach for antimicrobials in the first place. Harithahari, which means ‘green’ in Sinhala, is positioned as a premium product for health-conscious consumers who understand what antibiotic-free means and why it matters.

The company’s approach received formal academic recognition through a memorandum of understanding with the University of Peradeniya, one of Sri Lanka’s foremost agricultural research institutions. That partnership reflects a broader commitment to grounding its production standards in science rather than self-certification, and gives the Harithahari claim an independent layer of credibility that most competitors cannot match.

New Anthoney’s has also positioned itself as a future export business. Antibiotic-free certification is increasingly a non-negotiable requirement for entry into export markets, particularly in the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, where food safety regulations are tightening around antimicrobial use. Establishing the production standard now, before export ambitions mature, means the company will not face a costly retrofit of its operations when it is ready to compete internationally.

Building awareness at every level

The challenge with AMR is that its consequences are diffuse and delayed, which makes it difficult to communicate with urgency. New Anthoney’s has approached this through layered awareness work that reaches different audiences in different ways.

Internally, the company has run staff awareness programs at its Hanwella facilities, focusing specifically on the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and what antibiotic-free production actually requires from the people involved in it. These sessions covered the company’s own Harithahari protocols, the ethical basis for antibiotic-free farming, and the role each employee plays in maintaining standards that cannot be compromised at any point in the production chain.

Externally, New Anthoney’s has engaged industry peers, food sector stakeholders, and the wider public to make the case that responsible food production is not a niche concern. The company’s argument is straightforward: the same logic that governs responsible medicine use applies to food production. Antibiotics keep people alive. Overusing them, whether in hospitals or in chicken farms, erodes the very efficacy that makes them valuable.

Sri Lanka has a historically rich food culture, and New Anthoney’s frames its work within that tradition. Food that sustains people properly has always been a national value. What has changed is the industrial context in which food is now produced, and with it the responsibility that producers carry.

Why this matters now

The WHO’s Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance calls on all sectors, including agriculture and food production, to reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use and preserve the effectiveness of existing drugs. Sri Lanka adopted a National Action Plan on AMR in 2017, but implementation across the food sector has been uneven. Industry leadership, rather than regulation alone, will drive the change that the plan envisions.

New Anthoney’s is one of the few Sri Lankan poultry producers putting that leadership into practice at scale. Its model demonstrates that antibiotic-free production is commercially viable, scientifically defensible, and responsive to where consumer demand and regulatory standards are heading. For a country working to build export-credible food industries, that matters considerably.

US issues fresh global travel warning over rising security risks

The United States has issued a fresh global travel advisory, urging its citizens to exercise heightened caution amid rising security concerns linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

In a statement released by the U.S. Department of State, officials described the current security environment as volatile and unpredictable, warning of possible sudden developments that could impact travellers and U.S. interests worldwide.

Americans currently in the Middle East were advised to remain vigilant and prepare for potential travel disruptions, including flight cancellations and intermittent airspace closures. The department noted that while some airlines have delayed resuming suspended operations, others have cancelled select routes.

The advisory also called on U.S. citizens outside the region to reconsider non-essential travel to and through the Middle East. Travellers who choose to proceed were urged to monitor airline schedules and airport operations closely before departure.

According to the department, U.S. diplomatic missions – including those outside the Middle East – have been targets in the past. It warned that Iran and its allied groups could potentially target additional U.S. interests abroad, including businesses, institutions and locations linked to American citizens.

To minimise risks, travellers were advised to confirm flight details directly with airlines and seek timely updates in the event of disruptions. They were also encouraged to monitor alerts from U.S. embassies and consulates, comply with local authorities, and stay informed through official channels.

The State Department further urged Americans travelling overseas to enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrolment Program (STEP) to receive real-time security updates and emergency notifications, and to review destination-specific advisories before making travel plans.

Why foreign aid should be transparent, by Senate

The Senate yesterday passed for second reading a Bill aimed at strengthening oversight of foreign aid and donor-funded projects.

The Red Chamber proposed a comprehensive legal framework to regulate grants and assistance received by government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and state governments.

The Bill, sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe North), passed second reading after lawmakers voiced concerns that billions of naira in foreign aid flowing into the country, particularly through NGOs, are not subjected to adequate scrutiny, raising accountability and national security concerns.

Leading the debate, Dankwambo said Nigeria remained one of the largest beneficiaries of grants, humanitarian support, technical assistance and concessional financing from bilateral and multilateral development partners.

The lawmaker noted that the country’s foreign aid management system remained fragmented, poorly coordinated and lacking in transparency.

He said donor-funded projects were often implemented outside the national budget framework and scattered across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

According to him, this has resulted in duplication of projects, weak coordination and poor accountability.

The lawmaker stated that the proposed legislation seeks to ensure that all foreign aid received in Nigeria is brought under constitutional oversight and integrated into the country’s fiscal and development planning process.

Dankwambo explained that the Bill would establish a National Donor Coordination Framework, compel the registration of all donor-funded projects, create a national database for foreign assistance, integrate donor interventions into government budgets, mandate public disclosure of funding and project implementation, and prescribe sanctions for non-registration, diversion and misuse of funds.

Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno described the Bill as timely, saying the current

management of foreign assistance is largely driven by donor agencies without sufficient domestic coordination.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin noted that while foreign assistance received directly by the Federal Government is usually captured in the national budget, funds channelled to NGOs and state governments remain largely outside public scrutiny.

‘We can’t tell what money goes into the coffers of NGOs. Fraudsters set up bogus, pseudo-NGOs and collect money from there,’ Barau said.

He noted that concerns over the lack of regulation of donor funds had lingered for years, urging lawmakers to ensure the Bill is passed into law.

Senator Adamu Aliero said proper regulation of foreign assistance would improve accountability and encourage development partners to provide more support to Nigeria.

He recalled instances during oversight visits by the Senate Committee on Agriculture where donor funds had been received but their utilisation could not be satisfactorily explained.

Aliero urged the Senate to broaden the scope of the legislation to cover state governments and NGOs, saying such a framework would enhance the National Assembly’s oversight functions.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sani Musa, said the Beria’s donor funding regime in line with international best practices while boosting the confidence of development partners through improved transparency and accountability.

He also expressed concern over the security implications of unregulated foreign aid.

‘Most of the aids coming to so-called NGOs are not subjected to scrutiny. We have seen instances where such arrangements create security concerns because we do not know who is accounting for what. Is it insurgents taking money meant for victims?’ Musa queried.

The lawmaker added that the legislation would also create a clear distinction between foreign investments and grant inflows, thereby improving fiscal planning and coordination.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole supported the Bill, insisting that all foreign donor funds entering Nigeria should be fully disclosed, properly documented and subjected to legislative oversight.

He called for mandatory disclosure of resources transferred to NGOs and civil society organisations, as well as stiff sanctions for organisations that fail to comply with the law.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio also endorsed the proposal, warning that some foreign funds entering the country could be deployed in ways that threaten Nigeria’s national security.

After the debate, the Senate referred the Bill to the Committees on National Planning and Economic Development and Finance for further legislative action, directing them to report back within four weeks.

Sri Lankan passport climbs to highest ranking in five years

Sri Lanka’s passport has risen to 94th place in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, its highest ranking in at least five years, reflecting a gradual improvement in the country’s global travel mobility.

The latest index shows Sri Lanka improving from 96th place in both 2025 and 2024. The country’s passport was ranked 100th in 2023, 102nd in 2022 and 107th in 2021.

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa in advance, providing a measure of international travel freedom.

Singapore retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport in the 2026 index, while Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the rankings in 104th place.

The 2026 Henley Passport Index compares 199 passports across 227 travel destinations based on visa-free and visa-on-arrival access.

Borno: Zulum commissions, hands over multi-million naira office complex, CBT centre to JAMB

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday commissioned and handed over a multi-million naira office complex and a Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre, built by his administration, to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Maiduguri.

The state-of-the-art facility, located along the Maiduguri-Dikwa Road, serves as JAMB’s North-East zonal office, covering the states in the region.

The project comprises an administrative block and a dual CBT centre with a capacity for 500 candidates at a time.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Babagana Zulum reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to educational development, describing the project as the state government’s contribution to national education service delivery in the North-East.

The governor noted that the facility would serve as a regional hub for candidates sitting entrance examinations into tertiary institutions.

Babagana Zulum also directed the Ministry of Education to name the facility after Ishaq Oloyede.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who received the facility on behalf of the board, commended the governor for the landmark achievement.

Ishaq Oloyede described the project as unprecedented, noting that it is the first time a state governor has independently undertaken the construction of a JAMB zonal office and a CBT centre.

The outgoing JAMB Registrar said the centre would enable 500 candidates to sit examinations simultaneously, with the capacity to process more than 2,000 candidates daily.

He added that the in-built registration units would allow the board to complete registration and documentation for Borno applicants in a few days.

He stressed, ‘Today, reality has surpassed my expectations. In just four months, what seemed humanly impossible has been accomplished.’

He added,’This facility stands as a testament to your visionary leadership, your commitment to educational advancement, and your unwavering dedication to the people of Borno State and the Northeast region.’

According to him, ‘The CBT centre you have graciously provided will serve as a beacon of excellence for computer-based testing and administrative services. It will bring immense relief to candidates, educational institutions, and stakeholders across this region.’

‘More importantly, it represents Your Excellency’s broader commitment to rebuilding educational confidence and expanding opportunities for young people despite the enormous challenges confronting this region,’ Ishaq Oloyede stated.

He told the governor: ‘Your Excellency, your investment in education, human capital development, and youth empowerment continues to inspire hope and reaffirms the enduring role of education as a foundation for peace, stability, and societal progress.’

‘Your leadership, characterised by courage, compassion, accessibility, and unwavering dedication to public service, has positioned you as one of the most respected public servants in contemporary Nigeria.’

Present at the occasion were the Secretary to the Borno State Government, Bukar Tijani; the incoming Registrar of JAMB, Professor Segun Aina; the Acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Babagana Mustapha Malumbe; the Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe; and many senior government officials.

Lifeline for policing

Lawmakers in the red chamber of the National Assembly have given the nod to a combined budget of N404.07billion for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), for 2025 and 2026, to strengthen policing operations and critical infrastructure across the country.

The approved sum comprises N170.10billion for the 2025 fiscal year and N233.96billion for 2026.

The approvals followed presentation of a report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs by its acting chairman, Senator Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central), on behalf of committee chairman, Senator Ahmad Mallam-Madori (Jigawa East).

Presenting the report, Akintunde explained that the 2025 budget was being reconsidered because implementation of the previously approved proposal was stalled by legal issues arising from amendment to the NPTF enabling law.

‘This budget proposal under consideration was previously approved for implementation under the 2024 fiscal period. However, owing to developments arising from the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, 2019, and other circumstances beyond the control of the fund, implementation of the approved budget could not commence.

‘Consequently, the budget is being represented as the 2025 budget proposal for legislative consideration and approval,’ he said; adding that the panel was satisfied the proposed spending plans would enable the trust fund to effectively discharge its statutory responsibilities.

Among other things, the appropriated funds are expected to be used in procuring police operational vehicles and equipment, rehabilitate police barracks and stations, train and retrain personnel, and implement other intervention programmes that would enhance policing nationwide.

Of the N170.10bn for the 2025 fiscal year N159.74bn is for capital projects comprising N27.29bn for NPTF headquarters and N132.45bn for NPF projects. About N10.36bn is set aside for recurrent expenditure, including N1.82bn for personnel costs and N8.54bn for overheads.

The legislative chamber also approved the fund’s 2026 budget proposal of N233.96bn, under which capital spending will take N222.89bn, including N179.11bn for projects at both the NPTF and NPF headquarters. The recurrent component comprises N1.86bn for personnel costs and N9.21bn for overheads.

Under the pre-existing legal framework, funding for the trust fund is expected from statutory allocations, including 0.5 percent of revenue accruing to the federation account, 0.5 percent of Value Added Tax (VAT), 0.05 percent of the net profits of companies in Nigeria, ad hoc government appropriations and special intervention funds, as well as grants and donations from other legitimate sources.

The budget approval came weeks after the Senate passed the Police Trust Fund Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for funding the police force. The bill raises statutory allocation to the NPTF from 0.5 percent to one percent of revenue accruing to the federation account.

The NPTF was established in 2019 by an Act of the National Assembly, with its core mandate being to modernise the police force.

The spending plans approved by the Senate should enhance the operational capability of the police as Nigeria grapples with kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and other security challenges.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided at the plenary, commended the committee for its work and expressed optimism that the approved funds would strengthen the police in tackling the country’s security challenges.’

The police force is too strategic in the country’s security architecture to be short-supplied on required funding. That is why we agree with Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), who in his take during the plenary debate, lamented legal bottlenecks that hindered the agency from utilising appropriated funds for nearly three years.

‘The trust fund is supposed to fill a funding gap, but for almost three years, because of legal issues, it has not been able to spend a kobo,’ he said inter alia.

The legislature needs to join the executive arm of government in thinking up more creative ways of generating revenue for the trust fund.

Now that state police is coming, there will be far greater need for funding intervention if policing is to be effective at the state and national levels.

Meanwhile, there is a limit to government capacity for funding. Greater private sector participation must be stimulated, besides other non-governmental avenues. But it is also a notorious fact that private sector players put their money only where there is strict accountability.