MARCH 27, 2025

BY  Solomon Ekanem

• Nigeria is considering introducing a citizenship by investment (CBI) program to attract foreign investors
• Egypt and Mauritius are currently the only African nations offering formal citizenship by investment schemes
• The proposed alteration aims to attract foreign direct investment and reshape Nigeria's economic landscape

Nigeria is taking steps to become the third African nation to introduce a citizenship by investment (CBI) program.

The citizenship by investment program will allow foreign investors to obtain Nigerian nationality in exchange for significant economic contributions.

This move aligns with global trends where countries leverage CBI programs to attract foreign capital, boost economic growth, and increase foreign direct investment.

Currently, Egypt and Mauritius are the only African nations offering formal citizenship by investment schemes.

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DON'T MISS THIS: Here are African countries that offer citizenship by investment programs

Nigeria’s entry into this space could position it as a key player in attracting wealthy investors, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth individuals seeking access to Africa’s largest economy.

The CIB program in focus

Egypt and Mauritius offer distinct Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs.

Egypt requires a $250,000 non-refundable contribution or investment in approved real estate or business.

The citizenship by investment program allows foreign investors to obtain Nigerian nationality in exchange for significant economic contributions

Mauritius offers a Permanent Residency by Investment route, requiring a $375,000 real estate investment for a 20-year residence permit, with citizenship eligibility after seven years.

Nigeria's potential CBI program may follow either model, depending on its economic priorities and political stance.

CIB as bait for foreign investors?

Nigeria's House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards granting citizenship to foreign investors who meet specific financial thresholds.

The Citizenship by Investment Bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu and other lawmakers passed its second reading and aims to introduce a new class of citizenship known as citizenship by investment.

This move is designed to attract substantial foreign direct investment by offering nationality to individuals who make significant economic contributions to the country.

Although specific details about Nigeria’s program—such as the minimum investment threshold, qualifying sectors, and application criteria—are yet to be unveiled, experts suggest it could include investments in real estate, government bonds, or key economic sectors like petroleum, manufacturing and technology.

The proposed alteration aims to attract foreign direct investment by granting Nigerian citizenship to individuals who invest in the Nigerian economy above a specified financial threshold or in strategic sectors critical to national development.

If implemented successfully, Nigeria’s citizenship by investment program could reshape its economic landscape, making it a more attractive destination for global investors while strengthening its position as a major African economic hub.

MARCH 27, 2025

BY  Christopher Reynolds

MONTREAL — WestJet has launched an on-board Wi-Fi service powered by Starlink, the satellite internet technology made by Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, sparking a limited backlash from Canadians.

In an email, the airline confirmed it activated the service earlier this month and now offers free Wi-Fi on 16 of its nearly 140 planes after receiving federal certification.

Spokesman Josh Yeats said WestJet plans to complete hardware installations on its narrow-body fleet by the end of this year and on its wide-body aircraft before 2027.

The higher-speed connectivity comes alongside growing controversy around Musk, thanks to his close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump as well as recent expressions of support for far-right groups.

Amid a surge in Canadian patriotism following threats to the country's economy and sovereignty from the White House, some have called out WestJet and demanded it roll back its Wi-Fi plans.

"Sorry, @WestJet, I don’t want to fly in a plane that’s wrapped in the loving arms of Starlink," said novelist Jeffrey Luscombe in a post Monday on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter — currently owned by Musk.

However, others said they were "thrilled" about the faster internet speeds or pointed to the apparent contradiction of using a Musk-owned service to criticize WestJet for using another Musk-owned service.

Major carriers including United Airlines and Air France have partnered with Starlink, while more than half of Canada's provincial and territorial governments buy critical internet and emergency communications services from it.

The reliance on a Musk-owned enterprise has prompted unease in communities stretching from Ontario to the North.

“How much are we going to be dependent on this foreign company that has (the) ability to change its level of service, or turn it off if they get mad?” Jesse Fiddler, director at KNet, an Indigenous-owned company that offers internet and cellular service to more than 26 First Nations in northwestern Ontario, asked in an interview.

Earlier this month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to U.S. tariffs by scrapping the province’s contract with Starlink. The Northwest Territories is also “exploring alternatives to Starlink” as part of a Team Canada approach to protect the country’s “economic resilience, sovereignty and security,” a government spokesperson said in an email.

WestJet said it chose Starlink in a multi-year agreement between the two parties and Telus that was announced in July after a competitive bidding process that began in 2023.

"Notably, we selected the vendor that offers the best guest experience," Yeats said.

"WestJet Wi-Fi will soon deliver enough bandwidth for everyone on board to use their device like they would on the ground to stream content, play online games and more."

Starlink comprises a low-Earth orbit constellation of satellites that can deliver broadband internet to remote locations as well as airplanes more quickly than so-called geostationary earth orbit satellites, which float at far higher altitudes.

Starlink flies more than 7,000 satellites that serve about five million subscribers, with Canada as the company’s largest market outside of the United States.

— With a file from Sarah Smellie in St. John's, N.L.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2025.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

MARCH 29, 2025

(Bloomberg) — Fewer Canadians are flying to the US as an escalating trade war between the nations alters vacation habits.

Air Canada has seen the transborder market soften, and WestJet bookings have shifted from the US to other destinations, according to spokespeople from Canada’s top two passenger air carriers.

Bookings made from Canada to the US fell by 13% in February and March compared with a year ago, according to data from Canadian website FlightHub.com. Searches for travel within Canada surged over the same period, toppling the US as the most-searched destination.

“The timing and magnitude of the booking decline, especially following the February 1 tariff announcement, suggest consumer confidence in cross-border travel was significantly impacted by geopolitical uncertainty,” FlightHub Chief Executive Officer Henri Chelhot said in a statement.

The change in travel patterns is part of a larger boycott of American products in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods and his desire to annex Canada. “Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us,” Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at a campaign rally this week.

For airlines, the drop in US flight demand could hurt profits at a time when their bottom lines are already under pressure from weakness in the Canadian dollar and recession fears.

Air Canada, the country’s largest air carrier, said in an email that it’s responding to softer transborder demand by using smaller aircraft or reducing route frequency. For example, its previously non-stop flight between Vancouver and Washington, DC, now includes a stopover in Toronto. The airline also reduced capacity for routes to US leisure destinations such as Florida, Las Vegas and Arizona, it said in its latest earnings call.

WestJet has adjusted its schedule to fly more to Mexico, the Caribbean and transatlantic destinations, a spokesperson said by email.

Jet travel isn’t the only mode of transportation affected by Canadians’ boycott. Cross-border road trips by Canadian residents in February plunged 23% year over year, according to Statistics Canada.

—With assistance from Mathieu Dion and Mary Schlangenstein.

MARCH 29, 2025

(Bloomberg) -- Myanmar’s death toll from Friday’s powerful earthquake reached 1,644 amid extensive damage in the second-largest city of Mandalay, as international rescue teams arrive to help search for survivors.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, Myanmar’s biggest in a century, also injured more than 3,408 people while another 139 are missing, the State Administration Council said late Saturday. Authorities said about 2,300 buildings, including homes and temples collapsed, in Mandalay, which has a population of about 1.5 million.

Teams from China, India and Russia were among those who arrived with professional rescuers, medical personnel and equipment and are heading to Mandalay and the administrative capital Naypyidaw, they said. International airports in the two cities are closed until further notice.

Countries including the US have pledged to send rescue teams and emergency aid following the junta’s rare request for international help.

“It was a nightmare, I am still scared,” said Kyaw Moe Aung, who witnessed the collapse of a condominium in Mandalay’s Aungmyaythazan township, where he lived. “Hundreds of buildings collapsed here and there” and “there were several aftershocks until late at night,” he said.

Most telephone lines were down due to a day-long power outage in major cities, and residents in the commercial capital of Yangon are limited to a maximum of four hours of electricity a day, according to the Electricity Supply Corporation.

More than 600 monasteries and nearly 300 pagodas in Mandalay were wrecked, as well as 60 schools and three bridges in the region. The quake also damaged some parts of Yangon-Mandalay Expressway and some dams in Upper Myanmar.

Rescuers in northern Thailand are still searching for dozens of people missing from a collapsed high-rise building in Bangkok. An investigation is underway on the 30-story building that was under construction, and officials will report their findings within a week, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said.

Authorities in Bangkok said nine people were killed and about 100 are missing. Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said 57 of 77 provinces in the country felt the tremors, while damage has been reported in 13 of them.

The government has declared the quake a level 3 disaster, categorized as major, and is coordinating rescue and relief operations accordingly.

Bangkok city authorities have also ordered safety audit of public and government buildings, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said. Three hospitals in Bangkok were inspected on Friday night and one of them, Ratwithi Hospital, was instructed not to use the building due to damage from the earthquake, according to authorities.

There have been 6,000 reported cases of cracks in buildings across the capital, Chadchart said. Two cases involving residential buildings are considered critical, and tenants have been informed about safety measures, he said.

Authorities in the Thai capital also opened 11 temporary shelters to accommodate people affected by the quake. The government will provide assistance and financial relief to those affected, Paetongtarn said after a meeting on Saturday.

Some rail services operated by Bangkok Expressway and Metro will remain closed on Saturday to ensure safety before resuming service, according to local broadcaster PPTV.

Thailand’s stock and futures exchanges halted trading on Friday because of evacuations triggered by the earthquake. The stock exchange said all activities at its headquarters will be halted through Tuesday, though it is not immediately clear if it means exchanges won’t resume trading.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said businesses have resumed operations, and tourist attractions, as well as various convention centers, are open as usual. However, periodic assessments will continue to be conducted to ensure maximum safety, it said in a post on X.

Siam Piwat, owner and operator of several shopping malls in downtown Bangkok, said its buildings are structurally safe and will resume operations on Saturday, according to a statement posted on Facebook.

Thailand is also a major manufacturing hub, although firms like Samsung Electronics Co. said there was no disruption to their operations there.

--With assistance from Thomas Kutty Abraham.

(Updates with latest death)

MARCH 29, 2025

By Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja

A bill seeking to return Nigeria to the parliamentary system of government passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The bill seeks to establish the office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the President as Head of State.

The proposed legislation was among the 32 constitutional amendment bills passed by the lawmakers during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and 59 others, seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution to introduce a parliamentary framework that will shift executive authority from the President to a Prime Minister elected by the legislature.

The bill is titled: *”A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the Office of President as Head of State and to Provide for a Framework for the Mode of Election to the Said Offices and for Related Matters.”*

Recall that Nigeria previously operated a parliamentary system in the First Republic, with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa serving as Prime Minister and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as the ceremonial President.

The system, which lasted from 1960 until the 1966 military coup, allowed executive authority to reside in the Prime Minister, who was chosen from the majority party in parliament, while the President served as the Head of State.

In February 2024, some 60 members of the House of Representatives sought amendments to the 1999 Constitution to transition from the current presidential system to the parliamentary system of government.

Led by a lawmaker representing Lagos State under the All Progressives Congress, Wale Raji, the lawmakers identified the need to reduce the cost of government and foster robust policy debates, among other reasons, for demanding a return to the parliamentary system.

The lawmakers, drawn from different party affiliations, anchored their positions on the need to adopt a parliamentary system at the Federal, State, and Local Government levels.

MARCH 31, 2025

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
Letter from Africa series, Abuja

For many years, well-off Nigerians have sent their children to prestigious British boarding schools - but now some of those institutions are setting up campuses in Africa's most populous nation.

Last year, Charterhouse launched a primary school in the city of Lagos and will open a secondary school this September.

Rugby School will also begin offering secondary education in September. Other well-known institutions, such as Millfield, Wellington College and Harrow, are also exploring opportunities in Nigeria.

This obviously all comes with a price tag for Nigerian parents - but the country's well-heeled elite have historically sent their children to the UK for secondary education, drawn to the British curriculum's rigour, prestige and global opportunities.

"I'm actually excited about it," says Karima Oyede, a British-Nigerian management consultant, whose son is currently in year 10 at Rugby in the UK but will be moving to its Lagos school in September.

Her family has been meaning to relocate to Nigeria for a while but has not done so earlier because of the children's education.

"Having the opportunity to experience the British system in his country of origin is the best of both worlds," she says.

Nigeria already has a proliferation of private schools but high-quality, internationally recognised education within the country will appeal to many parents, particularly those who wish to preserve their children's cultural identity.

"African parents love the fact that they are giving their children international standing so they can compete with their counterparts in any other part of the world, but they don't want their children to lose their African-ness," says Ijay Uwakwe-Okoronkwo, the founder of Nkuzhi Learning Foundation in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.

The educational consultant, who advises parents and schools on international boarding options, explains the more relaxed, less respectful attitude children return with after going to school abroad is not always appreciated.

This cultural dilemma extends to the growing conversation around LGBTQ issues. Same-sex relationships and public displays of affection are illegal in Nigeria and homosexuality is not openly discussed or promoted.

It is something that the new crop of British schools has taken on board. For example, while Charterhouse UK displays a rainbow flag, the Nigeria school does not.

"We're a British independent school but sitting firmly within Nigerian cultural needs," says John Todd, head of Charterhouse Nigeria.

"There's this huge concern about Western cultural views.

"For parents here, we know it's a really big issue. It's a reason parents are worried about the UK schools.

"I'm not making a judgement - it's just the way it is."

British institutions in Nigeria have no choice but to "follow the law of the land", he acknowledges, adding: "We are 100% compliant."

Recognising Nigeria's deeply religious society, Charterhouse also permits parents to take their children home from the boarding house for Sunday church services, with the expectation that they return by Monday morning.

There are several reasons behind the growing interest of prestigious British schools in opening campuses in Nigeria.

While regions like the Middle East and China are already saturated with international schools, Africa is relatively virgin territory.

"Nigeria is the gateway to Africa, and Africa is kind of the last continent for British schools to establish in," says Mark Brooks, an export champion for the UK's Department for Business and Trade.

He organises annual events in Nigeria where about 20 British schools meet prospective students and parents.

"Nigeria has an incredible reputation for producing driven, high-achieving students," says Mr Brooks.

"There is no school I work with that hasn't recently had a Nigerian student serve as head boy or deputy head boy. A student may join the sixth form and end up being the head boy within a year.

"I've brought hundreds of head teachers to Nigeria over the years, and the word is out in the UK that we need to take Nigeria seriously."

Timing has also proved key, as the cost of sending children to the UK has soared. Just three years ago, the exchange rate of the local currency was 500 naira to £1; now it stands at 2,200 naira.

On top of that, the Labour government in the UK recently imposed 20% VAT on private school fees.

Beyond tuition, families face additional expenses like flights for both students and visiting parents.

Establishing these schools in Nigeria allows families to maintain the same standard of education while significantly reducing the financial strain.

The annual fees at Charterhouse UK, for example, are around £60,000 ($78,000), whereas the fees at its Lagos campus are equivalent to approximately £15,000.

"Our main classroom teachers are expatriates, but 90% of the staff are local," says Mr Todd.

By employing local people in roles such as assistant teachers, administration, finance, human resources, marketing, facilities, security, gardeners, drivers, PAs and secretaries, the school can significantly reduce costs compared to the UK, where labour is much more expensive.

A vast education gap already exists in Nigeria, with many parents opting for private education of varying quality. Many struggle to pay the higher fees rather than sending their children to government schools, which are often free but plagued by poorly trained teachers and frequent strikes.

As a result, the arrival of British schools may not drastically change Nigeria's education system.

However, they could pose a threat to established elite schools like the British International School in Lagos and The Regent School in Abuja, which opened in the early 2000s.

Such schools have long been top choices for those able to pay the annual tuition fees that often reach tens of thousands of dollars.

"Rugby School Nigeria is coming also to support, develop and learn from the schools currently in Nigeria," says Mr Brooks, who is in charge of the school's marketing.

"We are coming to help with partnerships as well, teacher training, and a whole range of initiatives."

Mr Todd believes the Nigerian market is large enough to accommodate all the new schools without threatening existing ones. About 40% of the 200 million population is under 14.

He expects the greatest impact to be felt in the UK.

While Charterhouse UK typically has a long waiting list and should not be affected, less sought-after boarding schools may experience a decline in enrolment owing to the new competition in Nigeria.

"Interest in our secondary school is very strong," says Mr Todd. "We already have Nigerian parents in the UK sending their children to the Charterhouse in Nigeria for September."

In fact, reaching out to Nigerians in the UK has been one of their key marketing strategies.

"You get this premier brand at a lower price, and every Nigerian has an aunt or uncle in Lagos" who can be a guardian, he adds.

It could be that this trend extends to British universities. Nigeria's tertiary education system faces even greater challenges than its secondary sector, with many students opting to study abroad.

In 2023, Nigeria ranked among the top 10 countries for UK student visas, according to UK government data.

But with foreign exchange difficulties and stricter visa regulations, studying abroad is becoming increasingly challenging - and universities that rely on higher international tuition fees appear to be suffering.

Earlier this month, British MP Helen Hayes, chair of the parliamentary Education Committee, acknowledged the UK's higher education sector was in trouble.

"Dozens of universities are making redundancies and cuts to courses, trying to stay afloat amid uncertainty over where their money is coming from," she said when announcing a session to consider the sector's future, external.

If enough Nigerian students can no longer go to the UK to study, British universities may find it profitable to come to them, as they have elsewhere in the world.

In fact, Nigeria's premier university, the University of Ibadan, was established in 1948 as a campus of the University of London, with degrees awarded carrying the same value and prestige.

Ms Uwakwe-Okoronkwo believes many Nigerian parents would appreciate this opportunity, as it would allow their children to stay in Nigeria long enough to mature before potentially moving abroad, if they choose to do so.

"Many parents are worried about sending their children out of the nest too early," she says.

For Ms Oyede, whose daughter will also be starting at Rugby School in Lagos come September, the timing of all this could not be better.

She says the British school opening has already been an "incentive to return home".

The prospect of university opportunities would be a welcome bonus.

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is a freelance Nigerian journalist and novelist based in Abuja and London.

MARCH 31, 2025

Nigeria is facing accommodation challenges in Makkah, Saudi Arabia ahead of 2025 Hajj —due to the non-entering of housing details for pilgrims accommodations under state quota in the Saudi electronic Nusuk platform.

It was learnt that officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and those of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards (SMPWB) are scrambling to secure fresh accommodations from low-budget houses having lost the premium ones they selected, inspected and booked but lost to other countries. .

Securing accommodations in Makkah is a prerequisite for obtaining Hajj visa for pilgrims in the E-Tract NUSUK platform.

Some States from the Northwest, Northeast, North-central and South were the worst hit by the cancellations, it was learnt.

“These states have been displaced from the premium houses/hotels in good locations they have been occupying for years,” a state official lamented.

“Luckily, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had extended the accommodation deadline from March 25 to April 4,” a Hajj official in Saudi Arabia said.

The official said Nigerian authorities have to secure fresh accommodations and upload them on the E-Tract before the new deadline expires.

Inability of the states to upload the accommodations details on the electronic platform means their pilgrims won’t get visa and therefore won’t perform the 2025 Hajj, the official warned.

Hajj officials pointed accusing fingers at NAHCON for creating the accommodation mess.

Findings revealed that NAHCON had earlier advertised and shortlisted Saudi accommodation providers —from which state pilgrims boards picked their choices. Most of the pilgrim boards made their choices after due consultations with their governors.

States officials – including some Governors — had travelyed to Saudi Arabia and made reservations from the NAHCON- accredited hotel providers. NAhCON officials subsequently inspected and approved the reservations by giving offer letters of eng

However, NAHCON failed to back up the bookings with the usual advance payments to firmly the reservations.

This led to the States losing most of their houses to other countries who are handy and ready for actio.

It was also found out that the States were unaware that they have lost their houses until towards the March 25 deadline — when the NAHCON ICT team realised that most of the booked houses by the states in preparation for visa processes were not available, another NAHCON staff said.

As a fallout of the mess, States are scrambling to secure any available accommodation — notwithstanding its distance to the Holy Mosque, standard, quality of service or price.

“States pilgrims boards are now scavenging houses from NAHCON non-accredited service providers just to meet up with the new deadline.

Nobody is talking about quality or standard anymore. The key word now is availability,” a NAHCON official told one of our reporters.

It was gathered that NAHCON has introduced a new list of housing providers — who were not accredited and shortlisted because they couldn’t meet up with the initial pre-qualification criteria advertised by the commission.

The commission has set a SR3,000 uniform benchmark per pilgrim bed space. A development, insiders said, was morally wrong — because accommodations are priced by their distance to the Holy mosque, standard, and quality of services.

With this rush now, accommodations that are far below SR3,000 are now being signed up for Nigerian pilgrims by states and NAHCON officials — for fear of missing the Hajj. “I don’t have any option now. I just need houses for my pilgrims. Without securing a hotel for them, my pilgrims won’t come to 2025 Hajj. That is our dilemma now. Nobody is talking about quality. Our concern is availability,” a state pilgrims boss from the Southwest lamented.

“Accommodation agents are now having a field day as they obviously cash on the desperation of Nigerian states officials. It has also become a conduit for some few unscrupulous well-connected NAHCON officials to fleece the states,” another staff of NAHCON who sought anonymity told this newspaper.

However, another commission official has predicted a negative scenario, saying pilgrims may protest the type of accommodations they would stay in Makkah during the Hajj. “The Makkah accommodations are central to Hajj because pilgrims spend more than 80 percent of their days there,” the official said.

It was alleged that the commission Chairman Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman couldn’t pay the accommodation providers because he allegedly used all the money to pay the two Masha’ir service providers.

Professor Usman has made full payments to Mashariq Aldhahabiah for 35,000 pilgrims, and Ekram Aldyf 25,000 pilgrims for Masha’ir services, it was alleged.

Observers are still perplexed by the NAHCON chairman’s wisdom behind paying for 60,000 pilgrims – even through the commission had earlier announced that Nigeria only booked for 52,000 pilgrims in Masha’ir.

The chairman is in Saudi Arabia with about 50 staff – they don’t have any schedule like it used to be.

Some staff are allegedly using the opportunity to manipulate the mess in the accommodation crisis for a fee. “It is a kind of a rat race. Everyone is scavenging for a carcass to feast on,” an official alleged.

However, in a statement on Sunday, Professor Usman, while seeking support from all stakeholders, ruled out any impending hiccups — saying he has made adequate arrangements for a smooth 2025 Hajj.

He said he has been meeting with relevant critical stakeholders that include tour operators, Saudi service providers, executive secretaries of state pilgrims boards, Saudi health officials, among others, for a seamless Hajj.

MARCH 31, 2025

Nigeria’s domestic airline, Green Africa, has announced the temporary suspension of its flight operations due to an unexpected issue with its aircraft lessor.

The airline disclosed this in a statement addressing customers on Monday.

Green Africa expressed regret over the inconvenience and assured passengers that it is actively working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“We sincerely apologise to our valued customers who will be impacted by this disruption.

“Please rest assured that we are actively working towards ensuring that we are able to resume operations in very short order,” the airline said.

However, the airline did not disclose specific details about the disruption.

APRIL 01, 2025

By Princess Etuk

Green Africa has announced the temporary suspension of its flight operations due to an unexpected issue with its aircraft lessor.

Despite efforts to manage the situation and prevent disruptions, the airline confirmed that flights would remain grounded until after the Eid al-Fitr holidays.

In a statement on Monday, the airline expressed regret over the inconvenience and assured passengers that it was actively working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“We sincerely apologise to our valued customers who will be impacted by this disruption,” the airline said. “Please rest assured that we are actively working towards ensuring that we are able to resume operations in very short order.”

While Green Africa did not disclose specific details about the issue with its lessor, it reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and customer service.

The airline has advised affected passengers to stay updated through its official communication channels.

APRIL 01, 2025

BY Jamie Brassington

The UK could shiver in a fresh Beast from the East in April, it is feared. Maps and data from WX Charts have revealed that the majority of the UK is set to plummet into frosty conditions from mid-April.

According to the data, snow could blanket cities including London, Newcastle and Birmingham on April 12. In Ireland, major cities including Dublin and Belfast could experience snow.

Most of Wales is also covered on the map, as well as Scotland. Giving its week-by-week verdict, which spans April 14 onwards, Netweather TV explained the "period may see the weather turn more unsettled at times with high pressure over northern Britain slackening and allowing low pressure systems and fronts to push in from the south-west at times."

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It states: "It does not look likely that we will move into a full-blown Atlantic westerly dominated regime, with slack areas of low pressure the more likely outcome, perhaps leading to a fair amount of showery weather at times with occasional longer outbreaks of rain, particularly in the south.

"High pressure is likely to often be close to the north which will probably again result in drier than average weather overall in most parts of Scotland. Relatively frequent easterly winds and lower pressure may result in low cloud being quite frequent near North Sea coasts of eastern Scotland and north-east England, but north-west Scotland is likely to remain mostly dry and sunny.

"Temperatures will probably be near to slightly above the long-term normal during this week, with rainfall totals below normal in most of Scotland, particularly the north-west, but a chance of above-average rainfall in south-western Britain.

Averaged over the UK, it will probably still be a little drier than normal. Sunshine is expected to be near normal for most of the UK, but below normal near north-eastern coasts and above normal in north-west Scotland."

Nick Finnis, meanwhile, said: "The outlook continues to remain dry for much of the country over the coming few weeks, perhaps for the first half of April, thanks to a persistent blocking high pressure system close to or over the British Isles. 00z GFS, below, shows most of the UK and the near continent dry as a bone for the 1st 10 days of April at least! More rain on the way for Iberia though this week - especially Portugal and western Spain."