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Azerbaijan’s 2023 anti-terror operation: final chapter of Karabakh conflict

September 19-20, 2023, is one of the most important turning points written in golden letters in the modern statehood chronicle of Azerbaijan. The local anti-terror measures, which lasted only 23 hours and 43 minutes, dealt the final and decisive blow to nearly three decades of illegal occupation, separatism, and the geopolitical uncertainty that existed in the South Caucasus. The operation resulted in the 100 percent restoration of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also laying the foundation for new realities in the region.

But where had the path leading to this historic outcome begun? As is known, following the collapse of the USSR, as a result of Armenia’s irredentist and aggressive policy, 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s lands were occupied, and nearly one million of our compatriots lost their homes and became refugees and internally displaced persons. Despite all of Azerbaijan’s goodwill and peaceful initiatives, the Armenian side was unwilling to resolve the issue at the negotiating table and ignored the well-known resolutions of the UN Security Council. It even further escalated the situation with provocative slogans such as ‘new wars, new territories.’ Armenia’s adventurist policy resulted in the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020, and Azerbaijan liberated a large part of its territories through military and political means.

However, Armenia’s leadership, living in illusions, and the illegal junta regime in Karabakh once again remained true to their tradition. Following the trilateral statement of November 10, 2023, Yerevan refused to fulfill the obligations it had undertaken and did not withdraw the remnants of its illegal armed formations from the territories of Azerbaijan. Not content with this, it continued acts of sabotage and subversion in the liberated territories, particularly mine terrorism. Finally, on the morning of September 19, when Azerbaijani civilians and police officers were martyred as a result of a mine provocation in Khojavand, the terrorist acts of the separatists reached their peak, making anti-terror measures inevitable.

The operation that began on September 19 once again demonstrated to the whole world the strength, high professionalism, and modern technical equipment of the Azerbaijani Army. This operation, which entered world military history as an example of ‘precision strikes’ carried out with surgical accuracy, involved the use of digital technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles, and high-precision artillery systems. The enemy’s deep defensive lines built over years, long-term firing positions, command posts, and air defense systems were destroyed within a few hours. All of this was carried out with such professionalism that the enemy, realizing that further resistance was completely meaningless, was forced to raise the white flag and surrender.

One of the most unique and remarkable aspects of this operation was that it was based on the highest principles of humanitarianism. No harm was caused to the civilian population or civilian infrastructure. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces neutralized only legitimate military targets. During the operation, humanitarian corridors were opened for civilians, and medical and food assistance was provided to those in need. Despite the disinformation campaigns of some biased circles in the West, the UN mission that visited the area also officially confirmed that civilian infrastructure had not been damaged and that there had been no cases of violence against the civilian population. This proved that the Azerbaijani soldier possesses a high level of culture not only on the battlefield, but also on the moral and humanitarian plane.

Following the operation, the territory was fully cleared with the disarmament of the remnants of the Armenian army, the confiscation of thousands of pieces of heavy military equipment and ammunition, and the dissolution of the separatist regime, which announced the termination of its existence. This was not merely a military success, but also the establishment of Law and Justice.

Ultimately, the anti-terror operation of September 19-20, 2023, became a brilliant triumph of the far-sighted diplomatic, military, and political strategy that Azerbaijani President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev had implemented step by step over the years. ‘Iron Fist’ diplomacy perfectly combined military power with strategic intelligence, bringing a complete and decisive end to the 30-year conflict. With the raising of our tricolor flag in Khankendi, Khojaly, Khojavand, and Aghdara, Azerbaijan fully restored its sovereignty. Today, the new opportunities for peace and cooperation that have emerged in the South Caucasus are rising precisely on the foundation of this magnificent Victory.

Opportunity and opportunism

There is a word that gets used constantly in the business world, celebrated in keynotes, printed on motivational posters and cited as the defining quality of every great entrepreneur.

Opportunity.

We build entire economies around it. The best companies, we are told, are the ones that see opportunity before anyone else. The best leaders are the ones who move fastest when the window opens. There is almost nothing in the business vocabulary that carries more prestige than being called someone who recognizes and seizes opportunity.

But there is a word that looks almost identical from a distance, operates through the same mechanisms and produces very different results. And we rarely name it as clearly as we should.

Opportunism.

The difference between the two is not a matter of speed or ambition or the size of the gain. It is a matter of character. Opportunity asks: what can I build here? Opportunism asks: what can I take?

Opportunity is aligned with purpose. Opportunism operates without moral restraint seizing whatever is available because, as the opportunist tells himself, he would be foolish not to.

C.S. Lewis, writing in 1944, warned about the seductive power of what he called ‘the inner ring,’ the exclusive circles of influence and access that tempt otherwise decent people to quietly trade their values for belonging.

That warning maps perfectly onto business.

The board that knows a loophole is legal and uses that as permission. The supplier relationship exploited the moment the other party has no alternatives. The pricing that technically complies with the contract while violating its obvious spirit.

In each case, no law is broken. And something is still lost slowly, quietly, in the space between what is permissible and what is right.

Too often, legality is mistaken for morality. And access is mistaken for entitlement.

I have seen this pattern across the companies and leaders I have worked with over the decades. A business qualifying technically for a benefit it did not genuinely lose. A tender won not on merit but on relationship. A competitor undermined not by building something better but by leveraging information not meant to be used that way.

The justification always sounds the same: ‘If it’s legal, we’d be foolish not to.’ Or: ‘That’s how the game is played.’ Or the most dangerous: ‘If we don’t, someone else will.’

These rationalizations are not arguments. They are moral shrugs.

And the quiet danger of the moral shrug is that it does not announce itself as a character failure. It arrives dressed in pragmatism.

Here is the business truth underneath the philosophy: in the short run, opportunism often works. It produces results that look like wins on the quarterly report.

The problem is that it erodes the one asset no balance sheet fully captures, and that is trust.

And once trust is systematically eroded, it does not regenerate quickly. Customers leave without explaining why. Talented employees stop bringing their best ideas to a culture they no longer believe in. Partners begin protecting themselves in ways they would not have needed to before.

The compound interest on opportunism is paid slowly and painfully, long after the original gain has been spent.

Opportunity at its best is something entirely different. It is a test of character, not a blank check.

Every significant business decision carries a mirror in its reflection not just what you gained, but who you became in the process of gaining it.

The company you build through genuine value creation is a different company, with a different culture and a different capacity for the future, than the one built through calculated exploitation of every available angle.

This does not mean business must be naïve. Competitive markets are real. Hard decisions are unavoidable. Negotiating firmly is not opportunism. Protecting your organization’s interests is not opportunism.

The line is not between aggressive and gentle.

The line is between decisions that could bear the full light of transparency and decisions that depend on the other party not seeing clearly.

The practical question every leader can ask before a significant decision is a simple one: if the other person in this transaction, the customer, the supplier, the partner, the employee could see exactly what I am doing and why, would I be comfortable?

Not proud necessarily. Not perfect. But comfortable that this is a decision I could defend with integrity to someone who knows me well.

History has a long memory for this distinction.

The leaders and organizations that are remembered, trusted and genuinely powerful over decades are not the ones who were most calculating. They are the ones who stood for something consistent, especially in the moments when standing for nothing would have been so much easier and more immediately profitable.

Opportunity is a summons to build something worthy of the freedom it represents.

What you do with that summons is your character, written in the decisions that only you will fully remember.

Join Francis Kong for The winning edge, a one-day seminar-workshop on Oct. 21, designed for emerging leaders, high-potential professionals, direct reports, next-generation executives and young family members being prepared to take over the business. This practical and inspiring learning experience focuses on personal growth, leadership readiness, confidence, discipline, and the mindset needed for the next level, while also equipping participants to stay grounded, adaptable and effective amid uncertainty, pressure, disruption and difficult times. For inquiries and registration, contact April at +63 928 559 1798 or Sylene at +63 976 638 8974.

Kwanchanok and Miguel are Thailand Amateur Open champs

Kwanchanok Boonchan and Ilas Miguel won the 92nd Singha Thailand Amateur Open 2026 after Friday’s final round at Panya Indra Golf Club was cancelled because of heavy rain.

No play was possible on Friday following a heavy downpour early morning and the organising committee was forced to reduce the tournament to 54 holes.

Kwanchanok claimed the women’s individual event with a total score of 12-under 198 and received the trophy from Thailand Golf Association president Rangsarit Laksitanon.

Pinyaphat Kamolborvorn finished runner-up on eight-under 202 and Iris Mehri Muslu took third place on five-under 205.

Miguel, Thailand’s Put Nugooludompanit and South Korea’s Park Si-Woo finished tied on eight-under 202 in the men’s individual event and the Filipino player was crowned champion after winning an 18th-hole playoff.

He took home the King Rama VII Trophy while Put finished in second place and Park took third place.

The Singha Thailand Amateur Open 2026 was organised by the Thailand Golf Association and is one of Thailand’s oldest amateur golf tournaments.

Grape and wine festival opens in Azerbaijan’s Shamakhi

The Grape and Wine Festival kicked off on September 19 in Meysari village of Shamakhi, bringing together the region’s winemaking and viticulture traditions, national music and a festive atmosphere.

The two-day festival is being held in Meysari village and is organized by the Shamakhi District Executive Authority, Abqora restaurant and the Nasimi Gardens complex.

Festival guests were welcomed with performances by traditional wind and percussion ensembles. A ceremonial parade of wine producers was also held, accompanied by a drum show.

Now in its fifth edition, the festival aims to promote local grape and wine production, increase the export potential of wine products, raise public awareness of Azerbaijan’s history of viticulture and winemaking and the work being carried out in the sector, and contribute to expanding the region’s tourism opportunities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Shamakhi District Executive Authority head Tahir Mammadov said the current period was marked by a number of significant events for Shamakhi.

He noted that during President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva’s visit to Shamakhi, the opening of several important tourism and cultural facilities, including hotels, recreation centers, creative spaces and cultural venues, had taken place. According to Mammadov, these projects are helping further expand the district’s tourism and cultural potential.

The district head stressed that the development projects implemented in Shamakhi benefit not only local residents but also visitors to the region.

Mammadov said the Grape and Wine Festival, which has already become a tradition, makes an important contribution to promoting Shamakhi’s rich viticulture and winemaking heritage, increasing the district’s tourism appeal and supporting the region’s socio-economic development.

Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov said the festival contributes to the development of viticulture and winemaking in Azerbaijan, the formation of wine culture and the promotion of locally produced wines.

The minister noted that viticulture and winemaking have ancient traditions in Azerbaijan. He said significant progress had been achieved in the development of the sector as a result of the attention and support provided by the state.

Mammadov also highlighted the work of grape growers, noting that farmers make a major contribution to cultivating high-quality grapes, delivering the produce to processing facilities and ensuring the production process.

The minister also praised the work of winemakers and technologists involved in producing high-quality wines.

The program continued with performances of traditional Azerbaijani dances, including the ‘Grape’ dance, which reflects the country’s viticulture traditions.

Festival participants had the opportunity to learn more about Azerbaijan’s ancient viticulture and winemaking traditions, as well as the country’s rich tourism potential. Visitors were also offered a variety of entertainment programs and shows.

Held on the premises of the Shirvan Wines LLC viticulture and winemaking complex in Meysari village, the festival featured various brands showcasing their grape products.

A range of activities for different age groups added to the festival atmosphere throughout the day. Guests took part in various competitions and quizzes.

A special program was also prepared for the festival’s youngest visitors. Children took part in interactive games and other activities in the entertainment zone, while also dancing and having fun with animators.

The first day of the festival continued until the evening and featured performances by popular singers Roza Zargerli, Kazim Can and Joseph U.O, as well as DJ Kamon.

The Grape and Wine Festival will continue on September 20.

Thais target bigger haul than Hangzhou

Thailand’s 694-member team — a blend of Olympic medallists, world champions, former winners and a host of first-timers — will head into the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 aiming to put on a better show than they did in Hangzhou, China, three years ago.

The team consist of 356 men and 338 women and will compete in 42 sports from today to Oct 4 at the continental multi-sport event in Japan, which will serve as an important test ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

While mighty China are tipped to dominate both the gold medal and overall tables once again, with hosts Japan their main rivals, Thailand’s realistic target is simply to outperform their Hangzhou campaign, in which the team finished eighth overall with 12 gold, 14 silver and 32 bronze medals.

This time, the Kingdom’s athletes are expected to produce 14 gold medals across nine sports, with sepak takraw carrying the heaviest burden — aiming to win all four of its events: men’s regu, men’s team regu, women’s team regu and women’s quadrant.

Beyond sepak takraw, the teqball team, which boast women’s doubles world champions Suphawadi Wongkamchan and Jutatip Kuntatong, are expected to deliver three golds, while athletics, esports, golf, kurash, ju-jitsu, sailing and taekwondo each target one apiece.

Sports where medals are targeted — though not necessarily gold — such as boxing, badminton, weightlifting, tennis, equestrian and rowing could prove crucial to the country’s overall tally.

As for the immensely popular women’s volleyball team, there are hopes the four-time Asian champions will secure a medal in Aichi-Nagoya following their historic first-ever Olympic qualification last month.

The team have never won Asian Games gold, with silver at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 their best finish to date, and fans are now dreaming of a breakthrough. The chances look reasonably good with the team riding high on confidence after their victory in Tianjin, though success will also hinge on momentum and luck during the competition.

In Thailand’s other most popular sport, football, the men’s team has set a target of reaching at least the quarter-finals, while the women’s side is focused on performance and improvement.

The men’s campaign is complicated by scheduling clashes with other tournaments, which have prevented the squad from being at full strength and forced the inclusion of several rising stars.

Star power to watch

Although the Thai contingent for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is smaller than at the previous Games, the squad remains packed with top-tier athletes.

Leading the charge are Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the world No.3 men’s singles badminton player and a 2024 Olympic silver medallist; Puripol Boonson, the sprint sensation who made history by clocking a sub-10-second 100m dash; and Banlung Tubtimdang, a taekwondo world champion and defending Asian Games gold medallist.

Former world champion Kunlavut has never won an Asian Games medal, and the 25-year-old leads a star-studded Thai badminton team that also include fellow ex-world champion Ratchanok Intanon, who will compete in her final Asian Games, and Pornpawee Chochuwong, a recent bronze medallist at the World Championships.

There is also good news on Dechapol Puavaranukroh: the knee injury he picked up at last month’s World Championships was not severe, and the mixed doubles star is now in rehabilitation, aiming to be fit in time to partner Supissara Paewsampran in Nagoya.

Three years after taking silver in Hangzhou, Puripol returns to the Asian Games in prime condition and with a shot at becoming Thailand’s first 100m gold medallist since Suchart Jairsuraparp at the 1978 Games in Bangkok.

The 20-year-old became the first Southeast Asian man to break the 10-second barrier at last year’s 33rd SEA Games, and arrives in Aichi-Nagoya in strong form after a string of quick times against tough international fields during a training stint in Europe.

Banlung, meanwhile, remains Thai- land’s biggest hope for a taekwondo gold, despite moving up to a new weight class and adapting to changes in the sport’s rules. He is joined by young Patcharakan Poolkerd, who competes in the 49kg division — a category long dominated by two-time Olympic champion Panipak Wongpattanakit, who retired after Paris 2024.

Golfer Arpichaya Yubol returns to the Asian Games aiming to defend both her individual and team titles. Since her victorious Hangzhou campaign, she has gained further world-class experience on the LPGA Tour and has posted two runner-up finishes this year.

In boxing, 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Janjaem Suwannapheng, who won silver in Hangzhou, is a leading contender for gold. She is one of 11 Thai fighters — six men and five women — competing in Nagoya.

The weightlifting team consists of 10 athletes — five men and five women — including three Olympic medallists: Weeraphon Wichuma, Theerapong Silachai and Surodchana Khambao. The team has trained primarily in Chiang Mai and is confident of securing around two to three medals, with China and Indonesia identified as the key rivals.

Men’s sepak takraw coach Pornchai Kaokaew said the team has learned lessons from its shock losses to Malaysia and Vietnam at last year’s 33rd SEA Games, and is targeting gold in both the men’s regu and men’s team regu events.

The women’s team, in training camp since April, is targeting gold in the team regu and quadrant events, though they acknowledge Vietnam as their major rivals — particularly in the quadrant.

APM demands probe into NSCDC custody deaths, Minna protests

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called for an urgent and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.

The party made the call in Abuja on Saturday through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Abubakar Yusuf, while expressing concern over the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the subsequent protests by residents.

The deaths reportedly occurred after 66 persons, said to have been arrested over alleged illegal mining activities, were detained in a cell at an NSCDC facility in Minna.

Authorities reportedly attributed the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak, while reports indicated that the detainees were held for more than two days under overcrowded and harsh conditions.

The deaths triggered protests in Minna, during which security agencies were reportedly accused of using ammunition and tear gas against demonstrators protesting the fatalities.

The APM condemned the reported use of force against the protesters, warning that it could lead to further loss of lives.

Yusuf said the circumstances surrounding the deaths were disturbing, particularly the report that 66 detainees were cramped into a cell where 37 subsequently died.

He noted, ‘The avoidable death of these citizens who were reportedly detained in very inhuman conditions in a government facility is yet another sad episode which further spotlights the level of inconsequentiality the APC administration attaches to human lives.’

The party said the explanation by the authorities that the victims were alleged illegal miners and that they died from a suspected disease outbreak could not justify the fatalities.

It argued that the circumstances raised serious questions about the conditions under which the detainees were held.

‘It is unimaginable that sixty-six persons were cramped into a cell where 37 of them died of excessive heat and after being reportedly sprayed with a yet-to-be-identified substance’, the APM added.

The APM also condemned the reported use of ammunition and tear gas against citizens protesting the deaths, stressing that the lives of Nigerians must be protected regardless of the circumstances surrounding their arrest or detention.

‘Indeed, this is not the Nigeria we dream of,’ Yusuf said, adding that the death of citizens in detention facilities could not be justified under any guise.

The party further stated that the investigation should establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and the alleged use of force against protesters and called for those found responsible to be held accountable.

The APM sympathised with the families of the victims and the people of Niger State, while urging Nigerians to remain calm pending the outcome of the investigation.

This removes the repeated calls for a probe while retaining the specific issues the investigation should address.

White lion cub seized from unlicensed hotel in Chiang Mai

A Chinese woman was arrested on Friday after authorities discovered a white lion cub at an unlicensed hotel illegally operated and catering to Chinese tourists in Muang district in Chiang Mai.

Officials searched the building on Charoensuk Road in tambon Chang Phueak after residents complained of loud animal noises coming from the premises since Sept 5, according to the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED).

Authorities found a white lion cub, estimated to be two to three months old, on the second floor of the building.

According to the regional office of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the cub had no microchip and its keeper failed to present any documents authorising its possession.

The cub was seized for further examination and would be housed temporarily at Chiang Mai Night Safari.

The raided building was found to have been renovated and used as a hotel, with rooms rented only to Chinese tourists, said deputy district chief Nattakorn Chum-intarachak.

He said the operator had previously applied for a hotel licence but the application was rejected. However, the premises were opened to guests.

Police detained a woman identified only as Wang, a 40-year-old Chinese national who said she was the building’s housekeeper, and took her to the Muang Chiang Mai police station for legal action.

She faces charges of possessing protected wildlife without permission and operating a hotel without a licence.

Authorities would also investigate the people who financed the property and any Thai nationals involved in acquiring the building, officials said.

Philippines chicken imports seen rising next year

The Philippines is expected to import more chicken meat next year due to higher demand from the manufacturing and food service sectors, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In a report, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said that Philippine chicken imports are estimated to reach 780,000 metric tons (MT) in ready-to-cook equivalent in 2027.

‘Imports are forecast to trend upward as demand from the food manufacturing and food service industries continues to rise, driven by population growth and better economic performance projected for 2027,’ it said.

The recent estimate is 14.7-percent higher than the revised 680,000 MT in ready-to-cook equivalent seen for 2026.

According to the international agency, Brazilian chicken would continue to dominate the chicken market next year due to its price advantage relative to other suppliers to the Philippines.

Imports from Brazil are expected to capture the majority of the market in total Philippine chicken meat imports.

Citing industry contacts, the USDA said that prices for Brazilian chicken meat remain competitive compared to other trading partners, particularly the United States, the European Union and Canada.

Imports of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken from Brazil made up about 66 percent of all imports as of July, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry.

MDM chicken is a typical ingredient in manufactured products, including hotdogs and luncheon meat.

The USDA noted that regionalization agreements for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or bird flu, with several countries could also allow the eased entry of foreign chicken meat to the Philippines.

Under the scheme, the government will no longer impose a country-wide ban on poultry imports during bird flu outbreaks; instead, the importation of poultry products will be allowed in case-free areas.

Meanwhile, the USDA said that local chicken meat production is forecast to reach 1.92 million MT next year, a 5.8-percent increase from the 1.82 million MT estimate this year.

‘This growth is supported by expanding operations among poultry integrators and other commercial farms, alongside efficiency gains from labor- and time-saving technologies, improved genetics and continuing training for farm personnel,’ it said.

The international agency noted that the local swine sector’s incomplete recovery from African swine fever continues to support poultry output, as raisers have veered away from hog production to poultry.

Sh38bn Nairobi railway hub project bets on Rwanda-style sports arena

Nairobi is set for a 10,000-seater indoor sports and entertainment arena as part of a $294.49 million (Sh38.14 billion) Railway City development that will mirror Rwanda’s model of using a multipurpose venue to attract major sporting, business and entertainment events.

The planned arena will form the centrepiece of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Core Centre being developed at the Nairobi Railway Station area, with a hotel, serviced apartments, retail outlets and other entertainment facilities planned around it.

The development is being undertaken by Guernsey-headquartered Zaria Group through its local subsidiary, Metroarena Development Company.

The project forms part of the wider 172-hectare Railway City redevelopment initiative that seeks to expand the capital’s capacity to host major sporting, business and entertainment events, disclosures on the project showed.

‘By stimulating commercial activity and attracting local and international events, the MICE-Core Arena is expected to catalyse growth in the tourism and MICE economy and investment in the surrounding precincts,’ the disclosure said.

The project will partly draw from Rwanda’s experience. After construction, the Kenyan arena will be operated by QA Venue Solutions, a Zaria Group management affiliate that already manages the 10,000-seat BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

Management contracts for the Nairobi facility are set on renewable 15-year terms, with the intention that QA Venue Solutions will continue managing the arena indefinitely.

The Nairobi project comes as African cities compete for international sporting tournaments, concerts, conferences and exhibitions, with modern venues increasingly being developed as commercial and tourism assets.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is, for instance, developing a 20,000-seat Kinshasa Arena, which is being positioned as one of Africa’s largest indoor venues. The project, estimated at $105 million (Sh13.6 billion), is designed to host basketball, concerts, exhibitions, and other major events.

The DRC arena will exceed the scale of BK Arena and the Dakar Arena in Senegal (15,000 capacity), both of which have become key assets in attracting international competitions and entertainment programming such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Kenya hopes to benefit from such events. Rwanda’s BK Arena, which cost about $104 million (Sh13.5 billion) and was opened in August 2019, describes itself as the largest fully covered arena in East Africa.

The BK Arena hosted the inaugural BAL season in 2021 and the league’s playoffs and finals in subsequent years. It has also hosted other major entertainment events, including American R and B singer Ne-Yo, who performed at the venue in 2019.

Kenya hopes to replicate similar success by using its arena to benefit from the growing sports, entertainment and events economy that also grows tourism.

Kenya Railways

Kenya Railways’ Nairobi Central Station.

File | Nation Media Group

Details of the planned project in Nairobi show the centrepiece will be a five-storey, multi-purpose indoor arena with a seating capacity of up to 10,000 people, depending on the event configuration.

The sports arena is designed to accommodate sporting activities such as basketball. However, the document shows the facility is also planned for conferences, banquets and other events, giving it a wider commercial use beyond sports.

The arena will have an estimated built-up area of 11,680 square metres, comprising 5,575 square metres for seating and arena functions and another 4,045 square metres for back-of-house facilities.

The development will be supported by a three-level public podium, with the ground and first floors dedicated to parking. The second floor will provide the main public realm, including a central pedestrian boulevard connecting different parts of the development.

The plans also provide for retail outlets, restaurants, food and beverage facilities, leisure uses, sports-related public activation zones and a public plaza for spectators and visitors.

An amphitheater and public performance space are also planned alongside parking structures, servicing facilities, landscaping, lighting, wayfinding and smart infrastructure.

The hotel component will comprise a 140-key branded facility, while the serviced apartment tower will provide 70 units. The combination of the sports arena with the hotel, apartment, and parking lot makes the development a mixed-use destination.

The location is intended to give the project access to Nairobi’s main transport corridors while placing it immediately south of the central business district. The site can be accessed through Haile Selassie Avenue, Workshop Road via Bunyala Road and Uhuru Highway.

The project is part of the government’s broader plan to transform the railway station area into a multi-modal, transit-oriented urban centre incorporating commercial, residential and transport infrastructure.

‘The project will contribute to increased government revenue through various tax streams and statutory levies associated with both the construction and operational phases of the proposed development plus long-term land-lease revenue and a gross revenue share to Kenya Railways Corporation,’ the Kenya Railways Corporation disclosure said.

The Nairobi Railway City is a green city of office blocks, malls, and a light industrial hub aimed at decongesting the city’s central business district, and was initially meant to be completed by 2027.

The project will involve the installation of approximately 45kilometres(km) of new track in and around the yard of the present central railway station, including fittings and concrete sleepers.

DNCITYSKYLINE1412f

An aerial view of Nairobi City overlooking the Kenya Railways Headquarters.

Francis Nderitu | Nation

The upgrade will also entail the construction of a new station management block, a new accommodation block to the east of the station entrance, refurbishment of the existing station building, four new passenger platforms, including refurbishment and expansion of the existing platforms, food and beverage outlets, and repurposing and refurbishment of the Easy Coach House heritage building.

The project will further involve the establishment of a new freight marshalling yard at Makadara yard and the installation of approximately 11km of new track, including fittings and concrete sleepers.

Nwifuru woos investors to Ebonyi as NADDC opens auto training centre

The commissioning of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) Automotive Training Centre along Ogoja Road, Abakaliki, has provided another platform for Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to showcase the state’s growing emphasis on skills development, productive enterprise and industrialisation.

At the commissioning ceremony, Nwifuru used the occasion to send a clear message to investors, manufacturers, automobile companies, financial institutions, development agencies and indigenous entrepreneurs that Ebonyi is ready to welcome investments capable of creating jobs, transferring technology and developing local capacity.

The governor specifically invited investors in automotive services, component manufacturing, fabrication, vehicle maintenance, diagnostics, electric mobility and technical education to explore opportunities in the state.

According to him, the state government is deliberately creating an environment where industries can thrive while equipping its young population with the skills required to participate meaningfully in the emerging economy.

‘This is an investment in the future in the automotive technology context. It is a deliberate investment in the hands that will repair our vehicles, the minds that will diagnose sophisticated automotive systems, the engineers who will design solutions, and the entrepreneurs who will establish businesses and create employment,’ Nwifuru said.

The new centre, according to the governor, represents more than another infrastructure project. It is part of what he described as an interface between the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs Agenda, particularly in the areas of human capital development, technical capacity and productive enterprise.

He said Ebonyi’s development must rest on the combination of infrastructure, skilled manpower, technology and enterprise, stressing that infrastructure without skilled manpower cannot achieve its full potential, just as skilled manpower without appropriate infrastructure cannot operate at the required scale.

The governor therefore urged young Ebonyians to discard the perception that technical education is inferior to conventional academic education.

He noted that a properly trained automobile technician could become an entrepreneur and employer of labour, while automotive engineers, fabricators and young innovators in automotive electronics could create businesses and develop solutions for an increasingly technology-driven transportation system.

‘This is how we create an economy driven by production rather than consumption, transform skills into businesses, transform businesses into industries and transform industries into sustainable sources of employment and prosperity,’ he said.

John Eno (Senator), the Federal Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, who commissioned the centre, also underscored the importance of skills development to Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda.

Eno said the Federal Government was placing premium on skills and manpower development as part of its efforts to strengthen the country’s industrial sector, noting that the automotive industry was capable of driving growth in other areas of goods and services.

He said the new facility should not be viewed merely as a physical structure but as a centre designed to train young Nigerians for opportunities in the automotive industry, including emerging technologies such as electric vehicles and improved energy-management systems.

The minister commended Ebonyi State for its cooperation in bringing the facility to the state, describing Ebonyi as a land of entrepreneurship with people willing to create opportunities rather than depend solely on government for employment.

The commissioning was also significant because, according to Eno, it marked the first NADDC automotive training centre to be commissioned in the South-East geopolitical zone.

That development places Ebonyi in a position to serve as a training and skills-development hub for young people seeking practical knowledge in the automotive sector.

For Nwifuru, however, the ultimate measure of the facility will not be the beauty of the building but what it enables Ebonyi’s young people to achieve.

He challenged them to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the centre, acquire practical skills and convert their knowledge into businesses capable of creating employment and contributing to the state’s economic growth.

The governor’s investment invitation also fits into his administration’s broader push to position Ebonyi as a productive and technologically competitive state.

‘We particularly encourage investors in automotive services, component manufacturing, fabrication, vehicle maintenance, diagnostics, electric mobility, technical education and related industries to explore the opportunities available in our state,’ he said.

As Nigeria seeks to deepen local production, reduce dependence on imported goods and create employment opportunities for its growing youth population, the new automotive training centre offers Ebonyi an opportunity to connect skills development with industrial enterprise.

For a state traditionally recognised for entrepreneurship, the challenge now is to convert the availability of trained manpower and infrastructure into sustainable businesses, investment and employment.

And as the governor put it, the automobile symbolises movement. For Ebonyi, the hope is that the new centre will move its young people beyond job seeking into enterprise creation, while moving the state closer to the industrial economy it seeks to build.