■ NIGERIA: NCAA releases list of all 26 carriers licenced to operate in Nigeria in bid to curb illegal operators.

As part of efforts to clamp down on illegal charter airline operations in the country, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has released a list of licensed scheduled commercial and charter airlines on its registry with only 26 operators having so far been cleared for operations.

■ NIGERIA: New law banning wet-leases for longer than 6 months comes into effect from October 1.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority's (NCAA) decree that no Nigerian carrier, whether scheduled or charter, will be able to wet-lease foreign aircraft for the purposes of commercial operations for periods longer than six months is set to come into effect from October 1.

■ NIGERIA: AMCON confirms appointment of new CEO, CFO at Aero.

The Nigerian government's Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON)'s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer (Mr Hugh Fraser) and a new Chief Financial Officer to Aero (AJ), also known as AeroContractors. Mr Fraser is understood to have been in the position since May.

► NIGERIA: Jimoh Ibrahim says Air Nigeria will resume ops but only under new ownership.

Air Nigeria (VK) could make a return to the skies, albeit under new ownership and management, the current CEO of the airline, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, has stated. Speaking on the tenth anniversary of the founding of his group of companies, Global Fleet, Mr Ibrahim said his board of directors would meet over the coming week to discuss the future of the airline, which ceased operations in September 2012.

■ NIGERIA: Benin Airport temporarily shut down by IRS over tax evasion allegations.

Nigeria's Inland Revenue Services (IRS) acting on behalf of the Edo State Government, temporarily closed Benin Airport on Monday over allegations of tax evasion by airport workers. The move resulted in numerous flights to both Abuja and Lagos being cancelled.

■ NIGERIA: Kenya, Nigeria sign revised BASA; Kenya Airways eyes Abuja flights soon.

Kenya Airways (KQ) will "soon" commence direct flights to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced. Mr Kenyatta made the remarks during a recently ended official visit to West Africa in which various trade and bilateral agreements were signed, among them, a revised Air Services Agreement. Speaking during a meeting with Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, at State House Abuja, he pointed out that tourism was a potentially untapped market in bilateral relations between the two countries.

■ NIGERIA: Purported fleeting plans for Nigeria One unveiled; eyes 50 aircraft by Q4 2014.

The first purported fleeting plans for Nigeria's tentative new national carrier, Nigeria One, have been revealed with an overall goal of acquiring fifty aircraft from various manufacturers before the end of next year.

■ CHINA: Nigeria finalizes $500mln deal with CCECC for construction of four new international air terminals.

With a high-powered state visit to China led by Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, about to come to a close, Chinese and Nigerian government officials have finalized several loan and Memoranda of Understanding agreements valued at over USD1.1billion with various Chinese institutions and contractors.  Among them is the Chinese construction conglomerate, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), who have now been tasked with the construction of four new international airport terminals to be completed within 20 months.

■ NIGERIA: Government to move ahead with planned Aerotropolises in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

The Nigerian Government will move ahead with plans to develop aerotropolises (an urban plan in which the layout, infrastructure, and economy is centred around an airport) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. Currently the four cities' airports handle the bulk of Nigeria's passenger & cargo traffic.

► NIGERIA: New national carrier, "National One", to début soon - Princess Stella

The Nigerian government is set to venture into the airline sector once more with a new national carrier, "National One" (this is disputed though as other sources have listed the name as "Nigeria 1") to tentatively take to the skies in the near future, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, has stated.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Fly540 supposedly granted rights to serve Nigeria; Antrak Air to follow.

Reports out of Ghana claim that Fly540 Ghana (5G) has at last been tentatively granted traffic rights to Nigeria following the intervention of the Ghanaian Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

■ NIGERIA: Akwa Ibom State approaches Bombardier, Lufthansa Technik over possibility of MRO facility, new regional airline.

The local government of Nigeria's Akwa Ibom State has approached various international firms among them Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace and Lufthansa Technik, over the possibility of them partnering the government in its project to build and operate an MRO Hangar facility at Uyo's new Ibom International Airport, currently under construction. A new regional carrier, Ibom Airlines, is also planned.

■ NIGERIA: Princess Stella officially unveils Nigeria's revised National Civil Aviation Policy.

The Nigerian Minister of Civil Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, has officially unveiled her country's revised dossier on aviation dubbed "the Revised National Civil Aviation Policy 2013" (NCAP) needed, for what it terms, to bring new and sustainable regulatory structures into the industry for the safety and security of airline passengers and crew.

■ NIGERIA: Airlines have spent $4.5billion on new aircraft in last 6 years: NCAA

During a recent address to the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies’ 2013 Training Workshop on Aviation and Space Law held at the University of Lagos, the Acting Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Joyce Nkemakolam, has said airlines and private aircraft owners have ploughed USD4.5billion into the acquisition of aircraft in the last six years.

■ NIGERIA: Ghana's Minister of Transport decries Nigeria's double-talk regarding the granting of traffic rights.

Ghana's Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, has bemoaned Nigeria's inaction in granting Ghanaian airlines rights to operate into Nigerian airports, despite the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to the Yamoussoukro Agreement which concerns the liberalisation of access to air transport markets in Africa (the Yamoussoukro Decision) and which entered into force on 12 August 2000. The Yamoussoukro Decision takes precedence over any multilateral or bilateral agreements on air services between States Parties which are incompatible with the Decision.

■ NIGERIA: AeroContractor's management directs fired workers to reapply for their jobs.

AeroContractor's (AJ) management, on the back of strong government pressure, has directed its recently dismissed staff numbering 600+ to reapply for assessment and possible reemployment. The airline recently resumed partial operations following a 20 day long strike.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors resumes operations today.

As previously reported, Nigeria's second largest airline, AeroContractors (AJ), will resume flights effective today, 29 March bringing to an end, a strike that had lasted 20 days. Dana Air (9J) however, remains grounded despite being given the go ahead by government to resume operations nearly 2 weeks ago.

■ NIGERIA: Government finalizes plans to source funding for new national carrier as ATR pitches its turboprops for use in the Aviation Intervention Fund.

After a meeting of the Economic Management Team chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, the Nigerian government is set to finalize plans for funding for the establishment of a national carrier.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air resumes ops tomorrow morning as AeroContractors moves to fire nearly 1'000 striking employees.

After talks held today between its management, the Nigerian Aviation Ministry and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dana Air (9J) has announced it will resume operations tomorrow. Fellow Nigerian domestic operator, Aero Contractors (AJ), has moved to fire nearly one thousand employees, striking since last Wednesday.

► NIGERIA: Emirates, Turkish Airlines granted rights to Kano; flights to begin by end of March says Princess Stella.

Turkish Airlines (TK) and Emirates (EK) will commence services to the northern Nigerian city of Kano before month-end according to Nigerian Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah. Princess Oduah made the remarks during the recent opening of the newly renovated and expanded international terminal at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).