Travel News

By Ben Ezeamalu

LAGOS, April 19 (Reuters) - The death toll in attacks by suspected cattle herders on communities in central Nigeria's Benue State has risen to 56, Governor Hyacinth Alia said on Saturday, underscoring a resurgence of such deadly clashes in Africa's most populous nation. Local media quoted the governor as citing the figure while visiting the villages in Logo and Ukum Local Government Areas (LGAs) that were attacked. Police had earlier put the figure at 17.

By Isaac Anyaogu

LAGOS, April 22 (Reuters) - Nigeria will fully automate its expatriate residence permit process from May 1, a move aimed at significantly speeding up approvals and reducing opportunities for corruption, the Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said.

Critics say the current system for obtaining the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Cards (CERPAC) - the mandatory identification and residency document for foreigners working or living in Nigeria, is slow and susceptible to abuse.

Previously, applicants for residence in Africa's most populous country and energy producer faced a cumbersome process involving visits to banks, physical form purchases, and manual document submissions.
Tunji-Ojo clarified in a post on X that the government was not increasing application fees but rather streamlining the application and payment systems through automation.
During a meeting with business leaders in Lagos last week, Tunji-Ojo said: "The era of going to the bank, buying forms, and physically submitting documents applying for CERPAC is over.
"Everything will be processed online, with QR-coded digital copies and backend integration with security systems to verify criminal records and immigration history."

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan, Princess Etuk, Tukur Muntari

Flight activities were disrupted at the Lagos, Abuja, and Kano airports on Wednesday as workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency staged protests at the facilities.

At the Lagos airport, XEJET, Aero Contractors, and Ibom Air operated as scheduled, while Air Peace did not.

In a statement posted on its X handle, Air Peace stated that following the strike by NiMet staff, it had to suspend its operations.

The statement, which was signed by the airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, stated, “Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of CNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over.

“Your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates as the situation unfolds.”

To tackle the situation, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, called for a meeting with members of the protesting NiMet unions. The meeting is scheduled to be held today (Thursday).

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the strike officially commenced at 7:00 am on Wednesday, with NiMet staff and union members seen walking around the premises

It was also gathered that some employees spent the night at the agency’s premises to enforce a complete halt to operations.

At the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State, many passengers were stranded on Wednesday following the protest by NiMet workers over the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage.

The protest caused delays in several scheduled flights at the airport. An airport staff member, who spoke to The PUNCH on the condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, said the protest disrupted many flights, forcing the airport authority to cancel or delay them.

“As you know, flights are determined by weather, and NiMet is the agency providing weather information to pilots. So, though some flight operations are still ongoing, the protest has affected many flights,” he said.

It was gathered that many air travellers were left stranded as numerous flights experienced delays due to the protest.

The Northwest Zonal Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, Timothy Meshelia, also confirmed that the protest disrupted several flights at the airport on Wednesday.

“The protesting staff are accusing the management of NiMet of failing to implement the N30,000 and N70,000 minimum wage, non-payment of staff allowances, ignoring requests to include omitted staff in past payments, and neglecting key training programmes, among other issues.

“The association has given the management one month to implement the new minimum wage or face industrial action,” he stated.

However, a senior NiMet management staff member, who pleaded not to be named, expressed frustration at the unions’ decision to down tools despite ongoing efforts to address their demands.

“The management is disappointed with the hardline taken by the unions when some of the issues in dispute have been resolved, and others are in various stages of resolution. In a response given by management when the unions served it a strike notice, management stated all the issues and their status,” the official stated.

The source noted the seeming contradiction in the unions’ actions, saying, “It is surprising that the unions resorted to strike action because the unions themselves recently wrote and thanked management for its labour-friendly policies. This makes you wonder if there are other motives or if there are people bent on sabotaging management.”

Despite the impasse, NiMet management says it remains committed to resolving the crisis.

“Management is not relenting in reaching an amicable resolution with the unions so that normal services will be restored. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, who has been supportive, has scheduled a meeting with all the parties on Thursday, April 24, 2025. We are hopeful that the unions will listen to reason. No one bites off his nose to spite his face,” the official stated.

On the union side, the National Deputy President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Uzor Oluchi, decried the poor working conditions that NiMet staff face.

“The welfare of NiMet staff is very poor. In fact, if you come to the aviation industry, NiMet staff are paid less. As I’m talking to you, a level 4 NiMet staff is collecting N31,000 despite the minimum wage that the Federal Government is giving,” she claimed.

BY Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha 

Nigerian carrier, ValueJet has announced plans to commence direct flight operations to Banjul, The Gambia from Lagos on May 15, 2025.

The new Lagos to Banjul flight offers an essential air link between two of West Africa’s most dynamic regions, providing greater access to The Gambia’s growing tourism industry and facilitating stronger economic ties between Nigeria and The Gambia.

This new service according to the airline would begin from Thursday May 15, 2025. ValueJet flights to Banjul will depart Lagos by 9:00pm on Thursdays and Sundays and arrive at 11:30pm, while the return flights will depart Banjul on Mondays and Fridays by 12:30am and arrive in Lagos at 5.00am.

The carrier would operate the Lagos-Banjul flights from the Murtala Muhammed International new terminal. Tickets are currently on sale on the website flyvaluejet.com

This new route marks a milestone in ValueJet’s plans to expand within West Africa as the carrier plans to expand to more destinations in the West Coast.

Omololu Majekodunmi, the Managing Director/Accountable Manager of ValueJet, said, “The launch of our Lagos to Banjul flight is an important milestone in ValueJet’s vision to promote travel options and connectivity within West Africa. We are proud to play a part in bridging distances and fostering closer economic ties between the people and businesses of Nigeria, The Gambia, and beyond, and opening new opportunities for trade and tourism.”

Read also: ValueJet, NFF partnership symbolises fresh success era for Super Eagles – Majekodunmi

The vision of the airline according to Majekodunmi is its commitment to making travel within the continent more accessible and with more options. This new service is expected to boost regional trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between Nigeria and The Gambia.

“We are excited to expand our network to the West African coast and offer direct flight services to Gambia. ValueJet remains committed to providing safe, reliable, and convenient air travel across West Africa and this new service is a testament to that commitment.”

American Airlines Group Inc. withdrew its full-year earnings outlook, joining a growing number of companies that say unease about the economy is making it difficult to forecast how the year will play out.

The carrier said in a filing on Thursday along with its first-quarter financial results that it plans to “provide a full-year update as the economic outlook becomes clearer.”

Nigerian carrier, ValueJet, has announced plans to commence direct flight operations to Banjul, The Gambia, from Lagos on May 15, 2025.The new Lagos to Banjul flight offers an essential air link between two of West Africa’s most dynamic regions, providing greater access to The Gambia’s growing tourism industry and facilitating stronger economic ties between Nigeria and The Gambia

This new service, according to the airline, would begin on Thursday, May 15, 2025. ValueJet flights to Banjul will depart Lagos by 9:00 pm on Thursdays and Sundays and arrive at 11:30 pm, while the return flights will depart Banjul on Mondays and Fridays by 12:30 a.m. and arrive in Lagos at 5.00 a.m.

The carrier would operate the Lagos-Banjul flights from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s new terminal. This new route marks a milestone in ValueJet’s plans to expand within West Africa, as the carrier plans to expand to more destinations on the West Coast. The Managing Director/Accountable Manager of ValueJet, Capt. Omololu Majekodunmi said the launch is an important milestone in ValueJet’s vision to promote travel options and connectivity within West Africa.

“We are proud to play a part in bridging distances and fostering closer economic ties between the people and businesses of Nigeria, The Gambia, and beyond, and opening new opportunities for trade and tourism.”

According to Majekodunmi, the airline’s vision is to make travel within the continent more accessible and with more options.This new service is expected to boost regional trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between Nigeria and The Gambia.

“We are excited to expand our network to the West African coast and offer direct flight services to Gambia. ValueJet remains committed to providing safe, reliable, and convenient air travel across West Africa, and this new service is a testament to that commitment,” he said.

The airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr Ejike Ndiulo, disclosed in a statement on Thursday night in Lagos.

According to Ndiulo, Air Peace is grateful to its customers and the general public for patience, understanding and support throughout the period of the strike.

”Your resilience and trust in our brand mean the world to us.

“We commend the active and decisive intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), whose leadership and commitment were pivotal in resolving the impasse and restoring normalcy within the aviation industry,” Ndiulo said.

He noted the minister’s swift engagement with aviation stakeholders, his transparent approach and his dedication to the stability and progress of the aviation sector.

According to him, Keyamo’s efforts not only facilitated timely resolution of the industrial dispute but also underscored his broader vision for a safer, more efficient and investor-friendly Nigerian aviation industry.

Ndiulo reaffirmed Air Peace’s commitment to providing safe, reliable and world-class services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NIMET workers on Thursday shelved the strike which began on April 22 following Keyamo’s intervention.

The workers downed tools in protest of alleged poor working conditions, including non-implementation of the 2019 Consequential Adjustment to the National Minimum Wage (affecting at least 30 staff).

They are also demanding a 25/35 per cent salary increase, 40 per cent hardship/peculiar allowance, and annual staff trainings.

Keyamo had promised to find lasting solutions to the problems.

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof Abdullahi Usman, has commended President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima over their interventions on cash Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) for intending pilgrims to perform the 2025 Hajj.

Usman said that the cashless payment method of BTA for intending pilgrims introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would have affected the commission’s arrangements for the seamless 2025 Hajj exercise.

The CBN had approved the commission’s request to grant cash transactions for pilgrims during the 2025 Hajj exercise.

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof Abdullahi Usman, has commended President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima over their interventions on cash Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) for intending pilgrims to perform the 2025 Hajj.

Usman said that the cashless payment method of BTA for intending pilgrims introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would have affected the commission’s arrangements for the seamless 2025 Hajj exercise.

The CBN had approved the commission’s request to grant cash transactions for pilgrims during the 2025 Hajj exercise.

“We will work closely with relevant stakeholders especially the CBN to resolve the BTA via ATM or cash riddles. The world is fast changing. This has made it imperative for Hajj handlers to be proactive in keeping pace with technological advancements.

“Our major concern here is that the majority of Nigerian pilgrims are rural dwellers who are not conversant with Nigeria’s banking processes.

“However, ATMs in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are grossly inadequate to cover the needs of over two or three million pilgrims. One hardly finds five such machines in the vicinity where the pilgrims stay in the two holy cities.

“But after this year’s Hajj exercise, the commission would sit with stakeholders under the guidance of the Vice President to find a lasting solution to the challenges.”

Usman revealed that an advance team of the National Medical Team would depart Nigeria for Saudi Arabia on the 30th of this month.

He added that the team was inaugurated under his able leadership.

He stated. “The advanced medical team was expected to be in Saudi Arabia at least nine days before the arrival of the first batch of Nigerian pilgrims to the holy land.

“They will be adequately prepared for the tasks ahead of them. We assure our pilgrims that the team is more capable of attending to their health needs throughout their stay.”

The Chairman further stated that the team needed to be on the ground to ensure that all Nigeria’s clinics in both Makkah and Madinah are fully stocked with the necessary drugs and other sundry medical requirements.

He advised pilgrims with health challenges to disclose them to relevant authorities for proper documentation, adequate provision of medications, and or professional advice.

He stated: “I also call on state pilgrims’ welfare boards, agencies, and commissions to adequately educate their pilgrims on the need to guard themselves against the forecast heatwave in the holy land during this year’s Hajj exercise.

“All pilgrims should avoid loitering and wandering to protect themselves from sun and or heat strokes.”

At least 897 Nigerians secured asylum in the United States over the past two years.

This was according to the latest case-completion data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review, EOIR.

The data showed that in 2023, US judges granted asylum to 514 Nigerians while another 383 Nigerians were granted asylum in 2024.

The figures marked a 25% decrease between the two years.

The EOIR published the annual report via the United States Department of Justice’s ‘Asylum Decisions by Nationality’ portal, which includes data on every country that has registered asylum cases so far.

In 202 the number of Nigerians seeking asylum was the third highest among African nations.

Nigeria is behind Cameroon, which has the highest number with 527 Cameroonians seeking asylum.

Other African countries with notable numbers include Ethiopia (291), Ghana (238), Egypt (203), Eritrea (193), Uganda (86), Senegal (99), and Sudan (42).

Meanwhile, on a global scale, Russia recorded the highest number of asylum grants in 2024 with 3,605 approvals.

Russia is followed by China with 2,998 grants. Venezuela and Nicaragua recorded 2,656 and 2,000 grants to complete the top four.

A total of 897 Nigerians have secured asylum in the United States over the past two years, according to the latest case-completion data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

The data reveals that in 2023, U.S. judges granted asylum to 514 Nigerians, while 383 were granted asylum in 2024, marking a 25% decrease between the two years.

The EOIR publishes this annual report through the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Asylum Decisions by Nationality” portal, which includes data on every country that has registered asylum cases.

In 2024, the number of Nigerians seeking asylum was the third highest among African nations, following 527 Cameroonians and 291 Ethiopians. Other African countries with notable numbers included Ghana (238), Egypt (203), Eritrea (193), Uganda (86), Senegal (99), and Sudan (42).

However, African nationals still represent a relatively small portion of the overall asylum applications in the U.S., which continue to be dominated by applicants from Latin America and Eurasia.

On a global scale, Russia recorded the highest number of asylum grants in 2024, with 3,605 approvals, a sharp increase attributed to draft evasion and dissidence related to the Ukraine conflict.

China followed with 2,998 grants, as more dissidents fled the communist regime, while Venezuela and Nicaragua recorded 2,656 and 2,000 grants, respectively.

U.S. immigration judges also granted asylum to large numbers from Central America: 1,684 Salvadorans, 1,624 Hondurans, 1,592 Guatemalans, 1,007 Cubans, and 751 Mexicans. On the denial side, Mexico had the highest number of rejections with 3,910, followed by China (903), El Salvador (2,880), Ecuador (2,774), and Peru (2,424).

Asylum applications in the U.S. are governed by Section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Individuals in the U.S. can apply for asylum if they can prove a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. However, factors like criminal convictions, missed filing deadlines, and the issue of “firm resettlement” can jeopardize asylum claims.

The asylum process operates through two tracks: “affirmative” cases, which are submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and “defensive” claims, which are made when individuals are already in removal proceedings.

Affirmative cases that are denied are rerouted to the EOIR’s immigration courts, where government attorneys can oppose release.