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Uche Eme Uche, Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Abia State, has observed that Nigeria does not lack people working for themselves; rather, it lacks enterprises that are registered, well-capitalised and standards-compliant businesses that employ others.

Uche made the submission, Friday, October 23, 2026, while delivering a paper titled ‘From Degree to Destiny: Creating Value, Generating Opportunity and Transforming Society’, at a

Pre-Convocation lecture of the 9th – 13th Convocation ceremonies of Rhema University Nigeria, Aba, Abia State.

She noted that self-employment was often a means of survival and may require no degree, while enterprise, by contrast, is a development strategy that education should equip graduates to pursue.

She also said that the World Economic Forum, after surveying more than 1,000 employers across 55 economies, projected that technology and demographic change will create about 170

million jobs and displace 92 million by 2030, a net gain of 78 million.

‘Yet one in five jobs will be significantly disrupted, and nearly four in ten workplace skills will change. Put simply, the world is not running out of work; it is running short of people equipped for the work that is emerging.

‘Africa’s demographics make the issue urgent. Africans now account for about one in five people worldwide and are projected to represent nearly one in four by 2050.

‘The evidence I have set before you today points to a single conclusion: that in an economy where 93 of every 100 jobs are informal, where unemployment is higher among the educated than among the population at large, and where nearly four out of every ten workplace skills will change within five years, a certificate is a necessary condition of graduate prosperity and nowhere near a sufficient one.’

She noted that what closes that gap is not another qualification but the disposition to create value, where none existed, to generate opportunity for people who did not earn it, and to repair the portion of the wall that stands within reach. Nigeria will not be secured by certificates.

‘It will be secured by graduates, who strengthen the institutions they inherit rather than exhaust them, and who serve without needing to be observed doing so.

‘Graduating class, in a few days you will receive a degree; from that moment, the world will ask what you can do with it. Do not wait for opportunity, create it. Do not merely enter society; improve it. Let excellence be your habit, courage your compass, service your purpose, and integrity your unbreakable covenant. Rise above excuses. Outlook limitations, turn knowledge into solutions, privilege into responsibility, and ambition into impact.

‘Wherever you go, leave people stronger, institutions better, and your nation more hopeful; create value and generate opportunities to transform society,’ she said.

‘The Igbo have no king, as the saying goes, and that absence of a central authority figure has allowed us to flourish in some ways while limiting us in others. Ohanaeze was meant to fill that void, to be the voice that speaks when the people cannot speak as one. But a voice that is silent when it should speak, that is absent when it should be present, that allows impostors to hijack its message without consequence, is a voice that is slowly strangling itself’ (Agbeze Ireke Kalu Onuma’s ‘Ohanaeze at 50,’ p. 236).

Introduction

A new Colonial Master looms large on the economic horizon of 21st Century Igboland. He is the militant Arab expansionist, hand in glove with the Islamist Nigeria, that captured the Ohaji/Egbema gas fields through the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, NMGP, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, AAGP. His resource terrorism against Ndigbo has been going on since 2016. Once completed, the pipeline will place the economy of Ndigbo in the hands of Morocco for as long as gas powers human civilisation. What has Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex socio-cultural group representing some 80 million Igbos, done to halt the construction of this illegal pipeline?

It is also instructive that in September 2026, days before Ndigbo gathered in Lagos to receive Agbeze Ireke Kalu Onuma’s major work, ‘Ohanaeze at 50: The Burden of Memory. The Politics of Relevance,’ overwhelmed Igbo traders in Lagos protested against the new Chinese economic conquistadors. Ohanaeze should have known a day would come when Asian retailers would enter Nigeria. The same traders demonstrating against the Chinese allowed Lebanese syndicates to operate gambling machines in Igbo markets targeting our apprentices (see my ‘The Igbo Apprentice Addicted to Gambling and Other Matters: Open Letter to Leaders of Igbo Traders’ Associations’).

In ‘Capitalist Nigger,’ Chika Onyeani warned us the economy was everything because an economically self-reliant black community could never be easily dominated politically. He forewarned Ohanaeze about how the Chinese Spider-Web Economic Doctrine operates: China would enter Nigeria, sell everything to Nigerians and buy nothing from Nigerians. In the past two decades, the powerful Lagos chapter of Ohanaeze did not address the possibility of Asians dislodging Igbo traders. Instead, it consumed itself with infighting. Asian retailers are here, and our response is carrying placards. That is weakness.

Ohanaeze appears not to understand the Igbo problem because it is still trapped in the post-bellum mindset of the 1970s. It lost the plot refusing to look at the global scene. Any discourse on Ohanaeze must avert intellectual foreclosure by looking at the big picture to understand the place of Ndigbo in the economic timetable of the 21st Century. Limiting ourselves to the actions and inactions of the association will ensnare one into the treadmill Ohanaeze found itself. Onuma escapes this trap by admitting the Igbo Diaspora in his argument. He also gives the Igbo economy the attention it deserves (Onuma: 387).

Understanding the Onuma Argument

Onuma examines the deployment of mechanics of power by the Ohanaeze leadership (human factor) and how the monolithic body became the elephant in the room (institutional failure). He believes the association suffers a crisis of legitimacy due to poor performance. Legitimacy is not a permanent certificate. It is renewable with every milestone covered. The moment Ohanaeze stops performing, it loses legitimacy before Ndigbo. It suffers a crisis of legitimacy because its elite leadership suffers from a survivalist complex; just as Ndigbo, especially young Igbos, it serves have their own resistance complex.

The founding fathers formed the association in 1976 as ‘a response to deep trauma. The founders were reacting to the anti-Igbo pogroms, the horror of the civil war, the dislocation and suffering that followed…. They preferred negotiation to confrontation, because survival required it’ (Onuma: 245). Their survivalist complex meant they ‘see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil’ in a hostile Nigeria if they must remain alive and serve Ndigbo. Their collective self-abnegation was typical of any marginalised group.

In ‘Souls of the Black Folk,’ W. E. B. Du Bois identified a survivalist complex in the emancipated Negro living in the racist southern part of the United States. He called this survivalist complex ‘patent defence,’ first noticed in the Medieval Jews living in anti-Semitic Europe. The marginalised Southern Negro resorted to flattery and deception to survive white racism. Onuma agrees with Du Bois on how a violent environment emasculates the individual. Such a victim is alienated as a mental exile. He is in an environment yet does not feel he belongs, as many young Igbos feel about Nigeria (Onuma: 203). The victim’s response is either acquiescence or resistance. For Igbos who experienced the war, their response is acquiescence conditioned by their survivalist Complex. But for the latter generations, their resistance complex aims to factionalise Ohanaeze or secede from Nigeria.

‘Deep trauma,’ ‘Igbo Psyche,’ ‘horror,’ ‘war,’ ‘dislocation’, and Suffering’ constitute a unique register indicating abnormal conditions. ‘Ohanaeze at 50’ engages Psychology of Oppression, defined as the abnormal behaviour oppression produces in the victim, consistent in Frantz Fanon’s ‘Black Skin, White Masks;’ Steve Biko’s ‘I Write What I Like’ and Onyeani’s ‘Capitalist Nigger.’ Fanon diagnosed the colonized did not aspire for self-liberation but to be assimilated into the white dominant culture. Biko saw the same syndrome in those blacks he called ‘non-whites,’ who aspired to be whites instead of being proud of their black identity. He reminded them that by trying to be whites, they were insulting the intelligence of God who created them blacks. Onyeani ridiculed those blacks prepared to pay any price to live among whites instead of fixing their degraded black neighbourhoods. Onuma sees the ambivalence in Ohanaeze appeasing the rabidly anti-Igbo establishment instead of confronting it.

Unlike Fanon and Biko, however, Onuma stops short of lampooning those Igbos who aspire to be Binis while repudiating their Igboness as a burden. Instead, he turns his attention to the fragmentation of the association and the resistance complex that produced such schism: ‘When nothing changes, when the suffering continues, when the roads are still bad, when the schools are still neglected, when the appointments still bypass the Southeast, people lose faith’ (Onuma: 245). Alienation forces impatient young Igbos to take their destiny into their own hands. Welcome to the factional Ohanaeze and separatist Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

Onuma concedes that the two self-defeating mindsets/complexes put the association and Ndigbo under serious stress. It is like the proverbial falcon no longer hearing the falconer. He wonders if Ohanaeze is actually a socio-cultural entity, a political lobby group or what? This is because an amorphous Ohanaeze creates identity and audience problems for itself and Ndigbo:

Is Ohanaeze a cultural association that is inward-looking or a pressure group that is outward-looking? In the former, success is in the number of children who can speak Igbo, and in the latter, the number of policies positively influenced. If political broker success is in the number of appointments and contracts secured. Each role requires different structure, incentive, form and accountability. You can’t be all three without creating institutional contradiction and atrophy. Ohanaeze has tried to be all, only to end up being none’ (Onuma: 431).

Fear on the part of Ohanaeze leadership and anger on the part of its followership lead us to a deadlock: If Ohanaeze moves fast in ameliorating the Igbo condition as demanded by young Igbos, the suspicious Nigeria could proscribe it. But if it goes slowly about it not to alarm the establishment, Igbo youths could opt for factionalism, if not outright secession. Things are not helped, as Ohanaeze must not only remain a single entity but also keep Ndigbo in Nigeria. Failure could dent the Igbo man’s leadership credentials, a prospect the association can ill afford. Onuma’s solution, inter alia, is democratising the Igbo traditional philosophy of ‘ako-na-uche,’ or wisdom and intelligence, to make the association more responsive.

My point of divergence with Onuma is his aversion to factionalism. The author is against a parallel Ohanaeze even when elections are rigged and the constitution is violated. He favours an in-house arbitration mechanism like the Committee of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops on Peace and Conflict Resolution. The problem is that none take this committee seriously. Did former President-Generals Dr Joe Irukwu and Professor George Obiozor/successors respect episcopal arbitration in 2006 and 2023?

I conscientiously believe in the necessity of some form of counter-force to Ohanaeze if Ndigbo must see the light of the next fifty years. Socio-Cultural includes the economy, oil, gas, banking, Maritime, etc., which Ohanaeze is not addressing. The association was created to serve Ndigbo and not the other way round. The day it abdicates this crucial duty, or dallies when Igbo lives and properties are at risk, then Ndigbo must fashion out an alternative best suited for the challenge at hand.

My modest enquiry is to examine Onuma’s treatment of power within the context of Social Contract. He believes his reforms could set Ohanaeze on the true path of becoming the proactive entity envisaged by our founding fathers, namely, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Eze CC Nwuche (Ekpeye), Chief CD Orike (Ogba), Okogbule Wonodi (Ikwerre), Emmanuel Agwuma (Ikwerre), Obidike Nwonodi (Ikwerre), Francis Ellah (Ogba), Akanu Ibiam, Michael Okpara, Dr Obi Wali (Ikwerre), etc. Citations from the primary text are lifted from the soft copy version.

Mutable Reality Vs Immutable Ohanaeze

Ohanaeze could have been a solution in 1976 when it was established. But the same entity can be the new problem in 2026. This is because no condition is permanent. Professor Donald Nwoga reminded us that every reality changes not only within itself but from one form of reality to another. He simply meant that within five decades, the problem of Ndigbo in Nigeria not only changed in content but also in form. Onuma’s claim that the association suffers identity and audience problem must be understood within the ambit of a changing reality.

An ossified Ohanaeze, trapped in the 1970s political inclusion mindset, when the challenge today is economic terrorism, in my view, is a stumbling block. In this age of Information Revolution that heralds the social media, Ohanaeze has proven itself the elusive ‘Pater remotus,’ or remote father. It is nowhere seen; and when seen is silent. There is nothing like Ohanaeze for Ohanaeze’s sake. Any pragmatic measure within or without the association capable of serving the Igbo interests, I truly believe, must be considered.

I agree with the author’s presentation of the factors that coalesced to reduce Ohanaeze to an albatross. But when you apply deductive calculations to his solutions, you tend to see the same old Ohanaeze emerge at the end of his reforms- an inverted Ohanaeze populated by squabbling elites, patronage network specialists who benefit from the rot, the contractors, the fixers, the gatekeepers who have learned to profit from a weak and distant Ohanaeze (Onuma: 371).

Nigeria has called for reforms to the international credit rating system and increased mobilisation of long-term capital to finance Africa’s infrastructure and development priorities, as the country pushes for a new model of global economic partnerships based on sovereignty and mutual benefits.

Sola Enikanolaiye, minister of state for foreign affairs, made the call at the Berlin Global Dialogue 2026, where he advocated greater strategic autonomy for African countries in shaping economic partnerships and advancing their national interests, a statement obtained by BusinessDay, on Sunday, indicated.

Speaking at a high-level panel on ‘Foreign Policy by Other Means: Trade, Technology, and Geopolitical Power’ and a policy lab on infrastructure and investment, Enikanolaiye said Africa needed partnerships that reflected its priorities, respected its sovereignty and promoted shared prosperity.

He said Nigeria’s doctrine of strategic autonomy would enable the country to engage with different geopolitical blocs without being constrained by their ideological differences, while protecting its national interests and those of Nigerian businesses.

‘It allows us a space of action regardless of ideology or political complexion of the various blocs to advance our own national interest, including those of Nigerian companies,’ he said.

The minister also called for a shift away from the traditional extractive economic model, urging African countries to prioritise local processing and value addition rather than continue exporting raw minerals.

He said the continent needed to develop stronger domestic industrial capacity to retain more economic value from its natural resources, create jobs and strengthen its position in global trade.

On infrastructure, Enikanolaiye stressed the importance of developing bankable projects capable of attracting sustainable investment, alongside building the technical skills needed to implement and maintain them.

He noted that Africa’s average gross domestic product growth rate stood at 4.3 per cent, compared with an ambition of seven per cent, arguing that achieving the higher target would require stronger investment flows and more effective financing arrangements.

He called for reforms to the international credit rating system, which influences how countries are assessed by investors and the cost at which they borrow, while welcoming the establishment of the African Credit Rating Agency as part of efforts to strengthen the continent’s financial assessment capacity.

The minister said mobilising long-term capital remained essential to financing Africa’s development agenda, particularly in infrastructure and productive sectors that require substantial investment over extended periods.

He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fiscal discipline, transparency, democracy and the rule of law, describing these principles as important foundations for credible international partnerships and sustainable economic development.

JMC-Alliance Co-operative Society Limited recently raised expectations in the cooperative enterprise community as it stepped into the future of this enterprise with the launch of Digital Cooperative Enterprise and Grassroots Financial Empowerment.

The launch is a foray into a new era of cooperative enterprise and has positioned JMC-Alliance as a digital-first public cooperative, redefining how communities access shared resources, financial empowerment and collective growth.

By combining technology with grassroots engagement, the cooperative seeks to build a legacy of trust and innovation that resonates with Africa’s next generation of leaders.

At the launch, the cooperative emphasised three pillars: inclusive growth, financial inclusion and financial security. What makes JMC-Alliance unique is its dual approach.

On one hand, it is fully digital, designed to empower tech-savvy youth with micro-lending and wealth-building tools accessible through smartphones. On the other, it deliberately incorporates traditional, offline methods to ensure market traders and grassroots communities are not left behind.

Whether through mobile apps or physical registers at the market square, the cooperative promises accessibility for all.

Joseph Onwuka, JMC-Alliance chairman, explained that the model was inspired by the need to merge traditional cooperative structures with digital innovation.

‘We are adopting a more pragmatic and market-driven model. The objective is not to abandon the traditional approach but to combine it with digital innovation so we can build a more flexible, accessible and sustainable business for the future,’ he said.

Technology is central to the cooperative’s vision. Onwuka noted that digital platforms will enhance transparency, member participation and sustainability. Members will be able to monitor their accounts, access services and resolve issues remotely, ensuring continuous communication and responsiveness.

Mary Okafor, a director at the company, highlighted the cooperative’s role in connecting the diaspora to local opportunities. She said structured channels would allow Nigerians abroad to invest earnings back home, supporting market women and small business owners with responsible loans that enable sustainable growth.

‘Instead of simply giving people money, we can provide responsible loans that enable market women and other small business owners to stock their businesses, keep trading, increasing their turnover and ultimately growing their enterprises,’ she explained.

Looking ahead, Onwuka said the cooperative’s legacy would be measured by the people it empowers. ‘We are going further into the grassroots, reaching people directly and creating opportunities that can make a real difference in their lives.

‘Our vision is to become a major player in Nigeria’s financial sector. Very soon, you will see JMC -Alliance everywhere, across Nigeria,’ he assured.

The launch signals a new chapter in cooperative development, one where digital transformation meets grassroots empowerment. JMC-Alliance is positioning itself not just as a financial association but as a community vehicle designed to drive inclusive prosperity and build a trusted nationwide brand.

Its ambition is to create a cooperative that is both modern and deeply rooted in the realities of everyday Nigerians, ensuring that financial inclusion is not just a slogan but a lived experience for millions.

Dangote Cement Plc Gboko Plant has awarded multi-million-naira scholarships to tertiary and secondary school students from its six host communities in Benue State.

The company also presented starter packs, working tools and certificates to graduates of its Youth Empowerment Programme to enable them establish their own businesses, apply the skills acquired during the training and become financially reliant.

Henry Dele Alake, minister of Solid Minerals Development, lauded Dangote Cement Plc for its community development interventions, calling on other private sector players to adopt similar initiatives to promote socio-economic development in their host communities.

Represented by Achi Gregory, the Federal Mines Officer of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Benue State, urged the company to sustain its commitment to implementing community development programmes agreed upon with its host communities.

Speaking at the official presentation ceremony, Wakeel Olayiwola, Group Head, Social Performance, Dangote Cement Plc, said the implementation of the Community Development Agreement underscores Dangote Cement’s commitment to equipping young people with practical skills and resources to promote entrepreneurship, create employment opportunities and improve livelihoods in its host communities.

Represented by Johnson Nor, the Head of Social Performance of the Dangote Cement, Gboko Plant, said the scholarship and youth empowerment programmes came against the backdrop of several other programmes recently executed by the company, which include farmers and women empowerment programmes.

Arbind Singh, the Acting Plant Director, Dangote Cement, Gboko, said: ‘This annual scholarship scheme for indigent students of the host communities is an indication of our company’s commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).’

Represented by Tabershima Soon, the company’s General Manager, Production, said: ‘The Gboko Plant has already launched 150 Women Empowerment Programme and 50 Farmerss Empowerment Programme where women were provided with cash to support their businesses, and farmers were supported with farm inputs.’

The beneficiary communities for these programmes are: Tse-Kucha, Quarry, Amua, Mbazembe, Mbatur, and Pass Brothers.

Speaking on behalf of the Benue State Attorney-General, the Chairman of the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), Dooshima Orosaga, commended Dangote Cement Plc for its compliance with the Community Development Agreement (CDA), urging the beneficiaries and host communities to maximise the benefits of the company’s interventions.

Yina Elias, chairman of the Gboko Local Government, said the government will continue to provide the support needed for the company to succeed, adding that the Dangote Cement Plc is an exemplary company in Corporate Social Responsibilities programmes.

In his remarks, Tsegba Igbarumun the District Head of Ukpekpe, commended Dangote Cement Plc’s Gboko Plant for its contributions to the community, assuring the company of the community’s continued support, adding that the community valued its mutually beneficial relationship with the company and would continue to serve as its ambassadors.

A beneficiary of the Youth Empowerment Programme, Ignatius Aondohemba, expressed appreciation to Dangote Cement Plc for the support, pledging to put the skills and resources provided to good use and build a business that would enable him to become an employer of labour.

Nigeria’s Lekan Otufodunrin has been elected as the president of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) Africa Region, to lead its next phase of growth across the continent.

Otufodunrin, president of Journalists for Christ International Outreach, was elected along other new executive members at its recent General Assembly for four year tenure.

Also elected with him are Amie Joof-Cole of Inter Africa Network for Women, Media, Gender and Development (FAMEDEV), Senegal emerged as the vice president; while Blessing Oladunjoye, emerged as secretary.

Otufodunrin and Amie would also serve as board members of WACC UK board.

Otufodunrin in his acceptance pledged that the new executive will implement programmes that will promote the focus of WACC on digital, gender and climate justice among other issues in the continent.

Kehinde Adegboyega, convener, West Africa Digital Rights Defenders Coalition, called for universal access, rights safeguards and data sovereignty in a keynote address on Ensuring Digital Justice in Africa.

‘No digital future is just until it is inclusive, free and grounded in dignity for all Africans,’ Adegoyega stated, reiterating that the road map for regional action should include capacity building, policy advocacy, coalition building and community action.

Sarah Macharia, staff liaison, Africa Region, commended the last executive headed by Matomklawè Kpalla for its accomplishments and urged the new executive to do more to enhance the status of the WACC in the region.

Other executive members include Secretary, Blessing Oladunjoye, BO Foundation For Inclusive Media, Nigeria; Treasurer, Mwendwa Kivuva, Member, Board of Trustees, The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), Kenya, Alternate executive members – George Stewart, Media Development Specialist, Liberia and Opeyemi Lawal, Journalist, Nigeria.

The Abia State Government has announced plans to host the 2026 edition of AfrICANDO, the United States of America-Africa Trade and Investment Conference and Expo, scheduled for November 17 to 19, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

The event, which will bring together government officials, business leaders, investors, policymakers, development institutions and other stakeholders from the United States and Africa, is expected to provide Abia with an international platform to present its investment opportunities and position itself as an emerging destination for trade, innovation and industrial development.

AfrICANDO 2026 is being hosted by the Abia State Government and co-organised by the Foundation for Democracy in Africa (FDA) and the Abia Global Chamber of Commerce.

According to Ferdinand Ekeoma, Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Media and Publicity, the conference, which returns to the African continent, is themed ‘Deepening U.S.-Africa Commercial Ties in the Era of AfCFTA.

‘It is designed to strengthen commercial cooperation, promote cross-border trade and investment, and explore opportunities arising from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He said that the conference will provide a unique opportunity for Abia State to showcase its economic potential to the international community, establish strategic partnerships and attract investors to its productive sectors.

AfrICANDO 2026, according to Ekeoma, will feature plenary sessions, policy forums, sector-specific workshops, business-to-business matchmaking, exhibitions and the Medal of Glory Awards (MOGA) Gala Dinner.

He said that the activities are expected to facilitate meaningful engagement among public and private-sector stakeholders while encouraging partnerships capable of generating sustainable economic benefits.

Key sectors to be featured include agriculture, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, academic science and technology, and artificial intelligence. Participants will explore practical ways to accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA, expand U.S.-Africa trade and investment, improve the export readiness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and promote innovation, manufacturing and the creative industry.

The conference is also expected to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners to identify new markets, connect with potential investors, gain insights into international trade regulations and establish commercial relationships with counterparts in the United States and other African countries.

SMEs and civil society organisations will have opportunities to build business linkages and partnerships with U.S. companies, thereby contributing to the expansion of trade, investment and cultural relations between both regions.

It is important to add that beyond the conference sessions, the event is expected to create opportunities for investors and business leaders to assess the state’s economic environment, engage relevant stakeholders and explore possible areas of collaboration.

The event will also offer sponsorship, advertising and exhibition opportunities for businesses, corporate organisations and development institutions seeking visibility among government officials, investors and industry leaders from Africa and the United States.

With its emphasis on trade facilitation, investment promotion and international partnerships, AfrICANDO 2026 is expected to strengthen Abia State’s engagement with the global business community and create opportunities for local enterprises to access wider markets.

Ekeoma noted that the hosting of the conference aligns with the broader objective of positioning Abia, as a competitive destination for business, investment and industrial growth, while showcasing the state’s capacity to host international engagements.

As preparations gather momentum, the three-day conference is expected to place Umuahia at the centre of conversations on U.S.-Africa commercial relations and provide a platform for Abia State to demonstrate its economic strengths, connect local businesses with international opportunities and deepen its participation in the expanding African and global marketplace, Ekeoma stated.

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered an estimated 132,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Allison community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, in an operation aimed at disrupting illegal petroleum storage and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.

The discovery was made on Thursday by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny under Operation Delta Sentinel, following actionable intelligence, according to a statement by Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, on Friday.

The operation led to the discovery of 10 dugout pits containing suspected stolen crude oil, which the Navy said could have served as a storage point within the illicit petroleum supply chain.

The Navy said the site and recovered petroleum products were handled in accordance with existing regulations.

According to Navy, the operation highlights the military’s continued efforts to identify concealed petroleum stockpiles and dismantle the infrastructure supporting crude oil theft and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products across the Niger Delta.

It noted that crude oil theft and illegal refining remain major concerns for Nigeria’s petroleum industry, with illicit activities posing risks to oil production, government revenue and the security of critical petroleum infrastructure.

The Navy said it would sustain efforts to locate and dismantle illegal refining facilities while disrupting the networks responsible for crude oil theft across the region.

It also stressed the importance of intelligence-led operations in identifying hidden storage facilities and preventing stolen petroleum products from moving further through illegal supply chains.

The Navy called on community leaders, residents, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to provide security agencies with timely information on suspected crude oil theft, illegal refining, suspicious petroleum storage and the unauthorised movement of petroleum products.

According to the statement, credible information from communities could enable security agencies to respond promptly and prevent illicit activities from expanding.

The Navy further emphasised that protecting Nigeria’s critical petroleum assets requires vigilance and active cooperation between security agencies and the communities in which oil-related activities take place.

It urged residents to remain alert and support lawful efforts to safeguard national resources.

Gunmen again struck in Kwara State to abduct a middle-aged man, Bamidele Matthew and his secondary school son, IbukunOluwa Bamidele.

According to one of the family members, Bamidele AKA Photo was on the farm with two of his children.

The source said: ‘Three of them were working on their farm at Idofin when the kidnappers kidnapped them; one of them escaped.’

He added that the son, who had just finished his secondary education, was on the farm, helping his father on the ill-fated day.

‘They were kidnapped on their farm where they were working; the kidnappers were not on a bike but stormed their farm where they were working,’ he informed.

He added that: ‘The kidnappers have telephoned the family, demanding a N20 million ransom.’

The daring kidnappers, according to the investigation, pounced on their victims at their farm between Odo-owa and Idofin, Kwara South senatorial area of Kwara State.

However, the family and the entire community have launched pleas to the state government and security agents for assistance that would ensure the release of the father and son.

‘We appeal to the Kwara State Government, the Nigerian Government, security agencies and the world at large to come to our rescue,’ they pleaded.

They have also, printed fliers bearing the pictures of the Bamideles, urging members of the public for help on who to contact on sighting them.

‘Please share this flyer. Every share could help bring them home,’ they urged.

Ezekiel Ikotun, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Flinchglow Travels Limited, company that services the travel value chain, shook the audience at a workshop on air travel in Port Harcourt with how Nigeria’s prosperity in the tourism industry has been stifled.

Spoke at the workshop which took place at the Ogeyi Place in the GRA 2 section of the Garden City where he revealed how insecurity had badly affected the growth of the tourism sector. It was a workshop that brought together the airlines and agencies in the sector.

Explaining more to newsmen on the drawbacks, Ikotun said: ‘The first thing is insecurity which drives people away. Who wants to come to a space where you hear about a lot of kidnapping, hear about bandits, and all of that?

‘If insecurity can come to an end, and better business architecture where there’s certainty in the business area is installed, you’ll see investors coming in to invest heavily in our space, and we’ll see how tourism is going to grow exponentially.’

He said people want to come to Nigeria because Nigeria has a lot of natural endowments across the entire region of Nigeria.

Setting at the seminar in PH

‘There’s no area that does not have something natural for which people can fly in from anywhere in the world to come and see. But in terms of investment, government support is not there. But if we can have that, have security, everything will be fine.’

On how the event came about and its inspiration, the CEO said it is called ‘Partner Plus Connect’. ‘We are a travel consolidator. We are agents’ agent. So, we service everybody within the travel space. We buy from airlines in bulk and resell to other travel agencies.

‘For the fact that we are driven by volume, we get better discounts because of our position, then we can resell better to other travel agencies.’

In the past, he said, ‘We discovered that there’s been a lot of uneducated travel agents in the Nigerian space. And part of the product that we offer is to ensure that all our travel agencies are better positioned in terms of awareness, in terms of capacity building.

‘If you look at the engagement today, you can see that all airlines are coming to make presentations about their products and services, and then in turn, our partners, our sub-agents can ask questions or be better enlightened on how best they can do their business.

‘Most of them don’t even have the opportunity or the privilege to have this kind of gathering, if not for us coming up with it to bring all of these airlines together and other GDSs to be able to serve them better.’

On benefits to travelers and agents, he said it is an ecosystem which is connected. ‘It means that if the sub-agents are properly educated, that means they will serve the traveler better.

‘Now, for the agents also, once they can serve better, they can have better businesses. For those who are in our own ecosystem, that simply means they will know better about the business, and they can serve their customer better.

‘Look at this information now about Ethiopian Airlines, it’s coming to them firsthand. They now have the contacts of these airlines so they can reach out to them and go through us for ticket issuance. So, they have firsthand information about how best they can service their customers.

Let all airlines sell tickets in Naira:

On what the FG should be doing to lift agents to make the sector more formidable, the expert pleaded on forex as the greatest challenge they faced. ‘We are asked to issue tickets in dollars, remit in dollars, but we have limited dollar access. So, if that can be properly handled, our local currency is Naira. If all the airlines can be mandated to sell in Naira, then we can remit in Naira. So, we don’t have any problem when it comes to remittances.’

In terms of awareness, he said the aviation industry worldwide is one of the most viable sectors. ‘If you look at the GDP of the world, what travel and tour industry is contributing is not a small fraction. So, if a lot of investment can be done in that regard like Kenya does. People travel from America to Kenya simply because of how their tourism industry is being structured.

‘So, if you have something similar in our space in Nigeria, that means that industry will even give more to the GDP of Nigeria.’

He said they were excited about the next move. ‘AI is taking the front door of every conversation. If you look at the investment globally, this year is over $1 trillion, the investment. Meaning any industry that is a bit structured is going to be heavily hit by AI.

‘So, the next phase is about building a robust architecture technology that can accommodate some of the things we talked about in terms of automation, in terms of availability of products and services, access to technology, and all of that. So, what’s next for us is to see how we can be a major player when it comes to that particular ecosystem where technology will meet AI, then automation makes work a lot easier for both the travel agency and the travelers.’

Oluremi Olusunde, CEO of Realms Travels and Tours Limited: How to survive as an airline agent

Also speaking to newsmen, Oluremi Olusunde, CEO of Realms Travels and Tours Limited, admitted that the event was smoothly executed, saying it was a time of learning. ‘It was a time of getting renewed information in the travel industry.’

He said the panelists were just simply brilliant and interesting. And for the airlines that came, all the questions they had about their services, their offers, their perks were answered adequately. It was really a time well spent.

‘I have been over a decade in the industry. The industry has its challenges, however, I think that it is a huge place. And if you are able to carve a niche market for yourself, and you’re able to adequately update yourself regularly, you can keep your customers and you will thrive in the industry.’

‘On how this event was organized, I am beyond impressed with this meeting. I’m someone who doesn’t like to stay out, to take a lot of time out of work, but for this meeting, I think for every minute I’ve spent here, it’s been worthwhile. It’s been a nice experience.’

How to use AI in this industry:

He went on: ‘Yes, we came to this training on AI, and I want to say AI is everybody’s friend as long as you know how to use it. AI does not replace human intelligence. It is artificial intelligence for a reason. It is faster but you always need human intelligence because you need that balance to be able to curate things according to how humans will need it curated.

AI just gives you data. Human intelligence filters the data and adapts it to every individual.

So I don’t think AI challenges my position in the industry. I just think it’s a tool that I can use to make myself better.’

Ethiopia Airlines happy to return to PH:

The airline was at the seminar in Port Harcourt and revealed their plans to resume flights to the Garden City.

Speaking, Firiehiwot Mekonnen, Area Manager – Nigeria, Ethiopian Airlines, gave her take home from the seminar, first saying the event was very good. She profusely commended Finchglow Travels for bringing all travel partners together.

‘It’s really an amazing event, and they keep on doing it every year. So, we really want to appreciate and thank you, Finchglow Travels, for that.’

She also said she was glad that they were able to meet and discuss with all the travel partners, travel agencies around this area. ‘They have already expressed their support for Ethiopian Airlines. They have expressed their appreciation for Ethiopian Airlines to commence flights to Port Harcourt.

‘As Ethiopian Airlines, we are also really happy and excited to start our fifth frequency or fifth destination in Nigeria, which is Port Harcourt. We expect that this operation, which we are starting with four frequencies per week, is going to grow to daily frequency with the support of Finchglow Travels and all the travel partners that we have met today.

‘We have also taken all their comments and feedbacks, and we are committed to working on that.’

She described their experience in Nigeria one of resilience. ‘You know, Ethiopian Airlines started operating to Nigeria right after one month of Nigeria’s independence. So, this year we have celebrated our 65 years of anniversary in Nigeria.

‘And in Ethiopian Airlines, since we have started, we have been continuing, we have never stopped through thick and thin, no matter what. There are times where so many airlines were challenged and suspended their flights, but Ethiopian Airlines never did that.

‘So, throughout all these years, we kept on adding and making sure that we bring the best to the Nigerian public. We bring the best of the airlines. We fly with A350,000 to Lagos, Abuja, and then we are going to bring that as well to you.’

She said Nigerians love Ethiopian Airlines. ‘So, the experience that we have had in operating in Nigeria is very good. It’s a Nigerian airline, that’s what we can say and that’s how our passengers claim as well. So, the experience is very good, very vibrant people, very warm people, and then we keep on growing and we keep on giving back to Nigeria.’

Explaining further, she said she just arrived from Lagos. She said her colleague, Agitu Tesfaye, will be working in Port Harcourt. She said she considered it good news to the agents.

‘So, Mr. Agitu is going to be the Traffic and Sales Manager of Ethiopian Airlines here in Port Harcourt; someone who is going to be closely working with you.

‘We will just give you a brief overview of Ethiopian Airlines. This airline has been flying to Port Harcourt, and this presentation is like a discussion, an interaction.

‘Ethiopian Airlines has been flying to Port Harcourt back in 2019. Now, we are resuming our flights in December 2026. So, I just want to give you a brief introduction about Ethiopian Airlines, and then I want us to discuss.

‘I want you to ask, request, and comment as well on our services. Ethiopian Airlines is an 80-year-young airline. So, this is just to give a note about Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian Airlines was founded in 1945. This year, we have already celebrated our 80th year anniversary. It is fully owned by the government.’

Chigozie Nnah: Key lecture on ticket pricing mechanism:

Nnah is the Account Manager, Lufthansa Airlines, Port Harcourt, and he spoke on what he called continuous pricing mechanism in the industry.

He said: ‘We are used to our Reservation Booking Designators (RBDs), K-class, Lima class, and the rest of them. Now, what this continuous pricing normally does is that when it looks at a booking situation in any period and sees that there are seats not sold and the other ones the seat before that or the RBD before that is sold.

‘So, what the system does is instead of if K-class is N90,000 and then Lima is N100,000, instead of charging you N100,000, what it does is it tries to do what we call a little of differentiation and gets a price in between and offer it to anyone who is booking.

So, it’s only applicable or available within a specified period of time. The moment you book it and you do not pay, you want to wait until the next day, it may not be available.’

Now, he said, the New Distribution Capability (NDC) is a win-win game, so to speak. ‘We have attractive NDC smart offers, transparent, value-added, full customization and personalization deals. What do we mean by personalization? Individualization to suit each and every customer if you so wish.

‘And then the technology, the trade and technology partner, we have better servicing functionalities, value-based commercial models, and it comes with increased efficiency.

‘The most difficult thing for a man to do is change which is difficult, change is the only thing that is constant.’

He said when he hears people say they cannot change from the traditional way of booking to the new and the smart way such as the NDC that is a smart way of booking; ‘It clearly tells you that in the new way of doing business, it offers you more efficiency than the old way of doing your business, especially as time and tides change.

‘Again, we have its installer of innovative NDC smart offers. We have different offers available for our partners and the state-of-the-art shopping experience. Gradually the airline industry will come to a point like what you have on Amazon and the rest, where you have a shopping cart. You can pick this and put to that cart, put this and all in that one cart, and then at the end you have just a basket of all the things that you need. So, this is how it’s going to run, and that’s what is seen. It’s the state-of-the-art shopping experience, and it comes with value-based willingness to pay.

‘I need to talk about ancillary. This is one topic or one subject I think we have not actually fully utilized; ancillary.’

With additional services on the local government, he went on, travelers can make their journey even more individual and comfortable.

‘There’s ancillary, you have the extra leg room, there, you can make advance seat reservation. Recently, I had some people say, ‘I do not have the money to pay for premium, and I need comfort. You can simply book advance seats, make an advance seat reservation. That way, your customer becomes comfortable even though at that period is not able to pay for the higher class.

‘So, this is part of what we should offer as professionals, at least, give them the complete package, ensure that these ancillaries are effectively and properly utilized. We have the sleeper rolls and then the fixed price upgrade.

‘Many of you may not know about the fixed price upgrade. We have fixed price upgrade and bid upgrade, and even the excess bag rate.

‘For the fixed price upgrade, there’s a fixed price to upgrade for instance from one class to the other. For the bid price, if you make a booking even though you did it in your office, you can go online and then you can ask for an upgrade. That upgrade is not fixed. You’re allowed to make quotes or bid. You’re allowed to make an offer. And at the end of the day, when it’s close to the flights especially, the person that has the highest offer is given that offer to upgrade.’

He explained with examples: ‘So, sometimes, if somebody has bid at $100, another person bid $105, another one $112; at the end of the day they pick the one that had the highest bid. If there are other avenues to make some other upgrading, take them just like that. So, this is how it works.

‘The one I want us to dwell on is the one of the extra bag. Recently, we have seen cases of people who have been saying that the extra bag amount is quite on the high side.

‘Just this Tuesday, a passenger was traveling and he told me wanted an extra bag, and asked how much for it. I said $305, he shouted. I said, but you know you can go to Lufthansa website and ask for an extra bag at a cheaper rate. He did and at the end, he got it at $132.

That’s shocking. Look at the difference.

‘So, for partners here, you can give your customer better services, you can also save them money, you can as well make more money for yourself.

‘I want you to make some money when you click. Why should I go to the airport and pay $305 whereas I can do it online? You can do it online and give to my clients, and also get some fringe from it.

‘We have the latest services we just mentioned.

Now, allegries. It is our latest in the market in terms of seats. It’s only in Lagos. We have the allegries that come with our flights, dreamliner that comes into Lagos. The allegries is simply a new configuration of seats that gives you additional maximum comfort.’

It’s found in all the cabins in the business class. ‘The suites are the one in front. If you have someone who always flies first class, and he is so used to first class, and there is unfortunately on this route there is no first class.

When you book the person in business class, please, pay for that business suite.

If you go online it’s cheaper. It’s more or less like first class, the services are top-notch.

You can find same in premium and as well in economy class.

‘As experts (agents) you should be registered with Lufthansa experts. It is a where we communicate our products, services, and other information that ordinarily you cannot get anywhere else. Lufthansa gives you credit.

‘Some ask for group discount. Any class you book, your staff, the family, you are entitled to 20% discount. Contact the airline, or read down the ticket. We have Lufthansa group meetings, we call it miles meetings, incentive and all that. And then we have the partner plus benefit.

‘The green fares are part of the fair family on the Lufthansa fair basis. Green fair simply means the fair that helps to promote a greener environment, safer environment, reduce carbon dioxide emission.’

He said when anybody books green fair, what the airline does is a little bit higher, but the benefit that weighs what you pay is that whereas you pay surcharge to ask for refund or rebook, this one is free. ‘Again, the additional benefit for green fair is that a customer enjoys 20% more on their miles and more.’