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With 5% ownership by the government, Nigeria Air starts operations in April 2022
The proposed national carrier will begin flight in April next year, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has announced.
The development came three years after the Federal Government announced plans to establish a new national carrier, following the liquidation of the Nigerian Airways in 2003.
At the end of a virtual Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President, President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Sirika told State House correspondents that the Federal Government would own not more than five per cent equity stake in the national airline.
According to him, Nigerian entrepreneurs will own 46 per cent shares while international strategic partners will own 49 per cent stake.
The minister said his ministry presented two memoranda which were approved by FEC.
“The next one also is the approval of the outline business case for the establishment of the national carrier and this is the sixth time the memorandum appeared before Council. The sixth time, we got lucky to be passed by the Council.
“The structure of the proposed airline; the government will be own not more than five per cent. So, five per cent is the maximum equity that the government will take, then 46 per cent will be owned by Nigerian entrepreneurs. So, if you add that, it’s 51 per cent.”
Sirika noted that 49 per cent stake would be held by strategic equity partners that would be sourced during the procurement phase.
He added, “This airline, if started, within the first few years will generate about 70,000 jobs. These 70,000 jobs are higher than the total number of civil servants that we have in the country. Its importance has been well discussed, so; I’ll not go back to it. You had discussed it separately also on various fora as to the need for it.”
Speaking about the second memo, the minister said, “Today in Council, civil aviation presented two memoranda. The first one is approval for the award of contract for the provision of Automated Civil Aviation Regulatory Equipment, including software support and training, which will be located in Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
“In summary, this is a software that will allow all of the activities of civil aviation regulation to be done electronically on one platform, including payments, including follow-ups on personnel licensing, the medicals, the economic regulation of airlines, safety regulation of airlines and all other businesses within the envelope of civil aviation will be monitored by this single software.
“It is called ‘the truth machine’ in Europe because all of the truth of the regulation of civilisation will appear on this platform. It’s extremely important software that the world has now come to terms with.”
November 25, 2021
Buhari Presides Over FEC Meeting
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over a virtual Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja.
It is the first such meeting to be chaired by the President since he travelled out of the country for the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other engagements.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the President’s Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, were among those physically in attendance.
Also present were National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Others include Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; and Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba.
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, and other cabinet members attended the meeting virtually from their various offices in the nation’s capital.
November 17, 2021
FEC Approves N47bn Contracts for Ministry of Works, Aviation, Customs, Others
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its weekly meeting on Wednesday approved contracts worth N47 billion for various projects in the ministries of Works and Housing, Aviation and some departments and agencies.
Other benefitting parastatals of the awarded contracts include Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja and the University of Abuja.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the virtual FEC meeting presided over by Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja, Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, said Council approved the three memoranda presented by his ministry, including the one for the award of a contract for direct procurement, installation and commissioning of the total radar coverage modernization for the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), at the cost of €14,428,218.17, which is equivalent to N28,039,080,799.40.
According to him, two other contracts including the one for the supply and installation of baggage handling system at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos worth N3,615,265,710.69.

The third Aviation contract approved was for the manufacture, supply, installation and operating training of disabled aircraft recovery system at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at the cost of N2,209,593,428.08.
Sirika said: “Today, council received three memoranda from aviation and they were all approved consequently. Memo number one is for approval for a contract for the supply and installation of baggage handling system at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and the total contract sum is N3,615,265,710.69, inclusive of the 7.5% VAT, with the completion period of 12 months.
“The contractor is Messrs. Gulf of Africa International Limited, who are exclusive representatives of the original equipment manufacturer. The OEM is Messrs. UVS Systems Company, a company that is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The funding was found and appropriated and Council consequently approved.
“The second memo from us in Aviation is approval for the award of contract for the manufacture, supply, installation and operating training of disabled aircraft recovery system at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
“This system is to be applied in the event that there is an aircraft that is occupying the runway or any area of operations that we have, so the special equipment will be used to remove that aircraft from that place and free it for our own operations. Contract sum is N2,209,593,428.08, inclusive of 7.5% VAT.
“This was issued to Messrs. Globsley Project Limited. The OEM representatives are Messrs. AMS Aircraft Recovery Limited.
“The third memo is approval is approval for the award of contract for direct procurement, installation and commissioning of the total radar coverage modernization for the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency and this contract is in two parts and the total is 14,428,218.17 Euros, which is equivalent to N28,039,080,799.40.
“The contractors are Messrs. Talas, who had been on the project and supported by Intelligent Transportation Systems Limited and Messrs. Softnet Systems Nigeria Limited and the OEMs are Messrs. Talas Systems of France and Messrs. HM Global of Germany”.
Also briefing newsmen, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, said FEC approved the procurement of 46 vehicles for operational use by Customs at the cost of N1,554,200,000.
His words: “Today, Council approved the procurement of 46 units of vehicles, these is for operational and administrative use by the Nigerian Customs Service. This was awarded to Messrs. Elizade Nigeria Limited at a total cost of N1,554,200,000 and this amount is inclusive of a 7.5%. VAT.
“Recall that the last set of procurement of vehicles that was done for customs was 2017 and 2020, and in 2020 we did see a whole lot of huge seizures that were made by the Nigerian Customs and also the performance in terms of revenue. Even with 2021, up till August, they have over performed the prorated rate of the target that they were given.
“So, Council believes that by provision of these additional vehicles, it will also help in enhancing, not only their effectiveness, but their efficiency and more revenues will be generated”.
On his part, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who spoke on the memoranda approved for other ministries, revealed that FEC approved a contract for the construction and furnishing of new Senate Building and 1,000 Capacity Conference Centre by the University of Abuja.
The contract approved for award to Messrs Hilkam Engineering Consultancy Ltd, is at the cost of N2,354,247,466.76
He further said: “There was also an approval of another memo presented by the Minister of Power for the award of 400kw pv power plant at Federal Medical Center (FMC), Jabi, Abuja at the cost of N768,906,174.71 to Stallion Trading and Construction Company Ltd.
“There was also an approval for the Minister of Works and Housing for the award of contract for the rehabilitation of Sokoto – Ilela (Nigeria) Birnin Konin (Niger Republic) Road in Sokoto State at the sum of N8,450,829,974.95 to Messrs Amirco Universal Concept Ltd”.
November 3, 2021
NNPC To Reconstruct 21 Federal Roads At N621.23bn – FEC
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the reconstruction of 21 roads covering a total distance of 1,804.6 kilometres across the six geo-political zones.
These projects are to be undertaken by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the deployment of its own tax liabilities.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, announced the approval on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting held in Abuja.
In July, FEC approved the award of a contract to Dangote Industries for the construction of five roads totalling 274.9 kilometres at the cost of N309.9 billion, advanced by the company as tax credit.
“Earlier this year, there were five other roads – the Kaduna Western bypass, the Lekki Port road, the road from Shagamu through Papalanto, and a couple of others, and there is one road in Maiduguri. That was about N320 billion,” Fashola said.
“So today (Wednesday), we have another player. We have all the interested players who are still showing interest, but we haven’t concluded. We have another player who has shown interest and commitment to deploy taxes. It’s the government corporation known as NNPC.
“So, NNPC has identified 21 roads that it wants to deploy. Now, the instructive thing about this is that this initiative helps the government to achieve many things, including ministerial mandates three and four, which we discussed at the last retreat. ministerial mandates three and four, if you recall, was energy sufficiency, electric power and petroleum energy distribution across the country.
“Of course, petroleum energy distribution is being impacted positively and negatively, as the case may be the transport infrastructure which is the ministerial mandate four. NNPC has sought and the council has approved today that NNPC deploys tax resources to 21 roads, covering a total distance of 1,804.6 kilometres across the six geopolitical zones.
“Out of those 21 roads, nine are in North Central, particularly Niger state. The reason is that Niger State is a major storage centre for NNPC. NNPC is doing this to facilitate the total distribution across the country.”
Fashola gave an assurance that in the South-West, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Agabara junction, Ibadan to Ilorin (Oyo-Ogbomoso section) will be fixed.
Three other roads are located in the North-East, two in the North-West, and two others in the South-East.
The Odukpani-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road, the minister said, has now been fully covered to resolve the problem of financing regarding the execution of the road projects.
Speaking about the South-East, he stated, “You have Aba-Ikot Ekpene in Abia and Akwa Ibom States. So that’s a major link, then you have Umuahia to Ikwuamo, to Ikot Ekpene road and so on and so forth.
“In the North-West, it is Gada Zaima-Zuru-Gamji road, and also Zaria-Funtau-Gusau-Sokoto road. In the North-East, it is Cham, Bali Serti and Gombe-Biu road.”
There will be no more financing problems regarding the execution of roads, said Fashola.
October 27, 2021
2022 Budget: FG To Borrow More To Finance N6.258trn Deficit – FEC
The Federal Government on Wednesday announced plans to finance the proposed 2022 budget deficit pegged at N6.258 trillion through fresh borrowings.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this during a press conference after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, adding that this will aid the funding of the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects.
“Government has been borrowing before this administration and continues to borrow and it is important that we borrow to provide developmental projects in the form of roads, rails, bridges, power and water for sustainable development in this country,” she said.
“If we just depend on the revenues that we get, even though our revenues have increased, the operational expenditure of government, including salaries and other overheads, is barely covered or swallowed up by the revenue.”
The Finance Minister says Nigeria’s borrowing is within healthy limits. Photo:Facebook/ Femi Adesina
While defending the government’s borrowings, she said the move is necessary to be able to build projects and to ensure they are developed on a sustainable basis.
In spite of persistent agitations in some quarters against the frequent borrowing by the current administration, the Finance Minister insists that the total size of the borrowing is still within healthy and sustainable limits.
A cross section of FEC members during the meeting held on October 6th, 2021.
She added, “Nigeria’s borrowing, has been of great concern and has elicited a lot of discussions. But if you look at the total size of the borrowing, it is still within healthy and sustainable limits.
“As of July 2021, the total borrowing is 23% of GDP. When you compare our borrowing to other countries, we’re the lowest within the region, lowest compared to Egypt, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, the very lowest, and Angola.
“We do have a problem with revenue. Our revenues have been increasing. We just reported to Council that our revenues from non-oil have performed, as of July, at the rate of 111%, which means outperforming the prorated budget.”
This is coming as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the 2022 Appropriation Bill for an aggregate expenditure of N16.39 trillion.
October 7, 2021
FEC Approves ₦836m For COVID-19 Oxygen Plants Nationwide
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved ₦836 million for the establishment of oxygen production plants for COVID-19 pandemic intervention across the country.
Briefing State House reporters after the weekly FEC meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the approval of the upward review followed a memo presented by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire to the council.
“The Minister of Health also presented a memo seeking for an upward review for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of the 38 oxygen plants all over the country,” Mohammed said.
“You will remember in June, the Federal Executive Council, actually approved the sum of ₦5.615 billion to four major contractors for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of 38 oxygen plants in various parts of the country.
“Regrettably, the four companies also came back recently with the same complaints ranging from fluctuation in the foreign exchange and the scarcity of this plant over the world as a result of material all as a result of COVID-19.
“So, he presented a memo for augmentation in the sum of ₦836 million and this was also approved today.”
The minister disclosed that the council also approved the revised estimate of costs and extension of the contract for the consultants supervising the Bagwai Water Dam Irrigation project from an initial sum of ₦98 million to ₦302.8 million.
He added, “The Bagwai Water Dam Irrigation project in Bagwai Local Government Area of Kano State was commenced; the initial contract was awarded in 2005.
“And due to several logistics problems, the project is still on and just recently, the FEC actually approved an augmentation of the entire contract and that means also that the mandate of the consultant supervising the construction would also have to be reviewed. So, now the total cost for the consultancy is ₦302.9 million.”
September 22, 2021
FG to Reintroduce Toll Gates On Highways
The Federal Government on Wednesday announced the readiness to reintroduce toll collections on some selected “motorable” dual carriageways across the country.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed this while briefing State House reporters after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the tolling to be reintroduced on dual carriageways would cover only 5,050 kilometres (14.3 percent) out of the total 35,000 kilometres federal roads.
It would be recalled that President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration dismantled all toll on federal roads across the country in 2003.
The minister said the modalities are now being worked out to determine how soon the tolling system will take off.
He said: “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented a policy memorandum for the approval of federal roads, bridges, tolling policy, and also a regulation that will provide a legal framework for the tolling policy. So, we have taken another step. So, let me be clear, tolls are not going to start tomorrow. So, let us be clear about that.
“But the big step to actual tolling was taken today by presenting for approval the broad policy that will guide the tolling so that local people, states, local governments, all those who manage roads, investors who want to come in, will know what our tolling policy is. And that will form the basis of their financial modelling, their investment decision.”
The minister also said the toll collected apart from being used to maintain the roads would also be used to construct new ones while the toll system will be electronically driven for transparency.
“We will also be going through a process of largely electronic toll collection and management system for audit and transparency. We’ll still have some cash at the very many more and hopefully phased that out as we go ahead,” he said.
August 12, 2021
FEC: Controversial Media Bills Before NASS Not Linked To Presidency – Adesina
… Says ECOWAS Court Ruling on Twitter
Under Investigation By AGF
By Williams Anuku Abuja
The controversies trailing the recent suspension of Twitter in Nigeria took another dimension on Wednesday as Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, distanced the presidency from the ongoing attempts at the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) Act and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act.
Recall that there had been speculations that following the suspension of Twitter by the Nigerian Government, there has been some underground moves to muzzle the media through repeal of the Acts establishing the Nigerian Press Council and the National Broadcasting Commission respectively.
A move that has drawn condemnation from various stakeholders.
Adesina rose to the defence of the presidency while fielding questions from State House Correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday.
According to him, the initiative is a federal government thing that only the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, was competent to address.
Asked to comment on the issue, he said: “That is not strictly a Presidency thing because the President has nothing to do with that. It’s a government thing and it’s the Minister that can talk about it. So, thank you.”
Asked to react to ECOWAS Court ruling against Nigeria for suspending the micro-blogging platform, Twitter, Adesina said, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is studying the ruling issued by the ECOWAS Court to the effect that Twitter users cannot be arrested or prosecuted.
He said the AGF would advise the federal government on the next step to take.
The Presidential Media Aide also affirmed that the committee made up of ministers to engage with Twitter has begun to meet.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation is going to study that report and then he’ll advise government on the way forward.
“The committee set up by the President to engage with Twitter is actually holding a meeting about now, or it will hold a meeting this afternoon (Wednesday) towards engaging with Twitter.”
Adesina equally disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved that the Second Peer Review Country Self-assessment Report should be done.
He said: “The only thing of interest I would like to talk about is the second Peer Review Country’s Self-assessment Report.
“Nigeria is ready for the second Peer Review Country Self -assessment Report to be done by AUDA-NEPAD. I think the last self-assessment report was done 10 years ago in Nigeria. Now, Nigeria is ready for the second review self-assessment report.
“It’s been discussed at the Council and the President has granted the approval that that peer review report can be conducted on Nigeria.
“Actually, if you have an insight into the report that was presented, which the woman in charge of NEPAD, Mrs. Akobundu, can give you, Nigeria has made progress in several areas and on several fronts.
“While 10 years ago, petroleum contributed more than 70%, even up to 90%, to GDP, you will find that today, petroleum contributes just about 45% and non-oil products contribute about 55% to the Nigerian economy.
“So, if Nigeria had been talking of diversification for 40, 50, 60 years, the economy can now be said to be diversified because our GDP, non-oil revenue, contributes about 55% to 45% of oil.
“So, it’s one of the highlights of the Peer Review Country Self-assessment Report that was presented at the Council meeting today. Details of that can be gotten from the AUDA-NEPAD office.
“That is the only thing we can talk about FEC today. if there’s any question, then I’ll gladly take. Yes. Yes, thank you.”
The meeting which held at the conference hall of the First Lady’s office, State House, Abuja, has Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari in attendance.
Also in attendance were Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Finance Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Defence, retired Bashir Magashi; Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige as well as Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan and other Ministers attended virtually from their various offices in Abuja.
June 23, 2021
JUST IN: FEC okays resumption of FCT land swap plan
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the resumption of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) land swap plan.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, disclosed this to State House Correspondents at the end of the week’s virtual Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The initiative, which worth was put at about N1 trillion under the previous dispensation, was designed to remedy the infrastructure deficit in the federal capital by swapping land with private investors who would in turn provide necessary infrastructure.
The minister said FEC approved the resumption following a memo he presented to the council.
He said some amendments were made to the original form of the initiative by establishing a legal framework to protect all parties.
June 16, 2021
I Would Have Resigned If I Was In Pantami’s Situation – Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has faulted the continued stay of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, as a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
He believes it is unreasonable for the government to allow anyone in a situation such as that of the embattled minister to remain in office.
The governor made the remarks on Wednesday via his Twitter handle while reacting to the comments said to have been made by Pantami in the past in support of extremist groups.
Although the minister has renounced the comments, saying he was a changed person, Governor Wike insisted that it was wrong to allow Pantami to continue with his duties as a minister.
According to him, the minister ought to have relinquished his duties but the situation has worsened because the government does not care.
The governor stressed that the time when the minister made the comments does not matter, saying they could be described as the germinated seeds that have led to the killing of people.
He advised Pantami to tender his resignation as minister, adding that he would have done the same if he was in such a situation.
April 22, 2021