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NANTA Canvasses Release of Trapped Foreign Airlines Funds
President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, and her council members have expressed deep concern over the trapped funds of foreign airlines operating in Nigeria, and the impression it portrays about the country.
NANTA as a strategic concerned partner in the downstream aviation sector have over the years appealed to the government through the central Bank of Nigeria and also through the ministry of Aviation to see to the possibility of reducing the humongous trapped funds which at the month of May, 2022, is estimated at well over US$450 million.
The current situation presents a real threat to the industry and the continuity of our business as Travel professionals, bearing in mind the potential jobs losses and the attendant national economic losses as we are just gradually coming out of the pandemic era.
The foreign Airlines may resort to taking out lower inventory in the system resulting in high cost of tickets from the Nigerian market, For instance, a six hour trip to London may attract a fare rate of about two thousand dollars or more and also encourage tickets sold outside the country to flood Nigeria, thus affecting the survival of Nigerian travel agents and consequent loss of taxes and levies from such transactions.
As Nigerians, we are patriotic and have presented our country well in the global travel industry and rightly felt disturbed that Nigeria is on the brinks of a wrong narrative at the just concluded 78th Annual General meeting of International Air Transport Association ( IATA) in Doha, Qatar on the account of Airlines trapped funds to which Nigeria is Africa’s leading boggy boy.
We are by this outing once again, appealing to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the ministry of Aviation and the office of the Vice President to speedly intervene to bring down the amount of trapped funds to help resolve the operations of these Airlines.
NANTA reiterated that it’s not a good business environment for an investor to be unable to take his funds out of the country, and at the same time expected to operate at international best practices.
Indeed, a bleak future more than the effects of the Pandemic awaits Nigeria Travel trade operators if nothing concrete and effectual is done URGENTLY to address this disturbing situation, by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
By Eric Elezuo
The governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A letter signed by the governor himself and dated November 4, 2025 revealed that the governor dumped the party about a month before coming out public with the announcement.
Confirming the resignation via a statement, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, wrote;
“Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) since November 4th, 2025.
“The letter was addressed to the PDP Chairman for ward 2, Sagba Abogunde of
Ede North Local government, Osun State.
“The letter reads as follows: ‘Due to the current crisis within the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.
‘I thank the Peoples Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the Peoples Democratic Party”, the governor noted in the letter personally signed by him.’
Neither the letter nor the spokesperson’s statement suggested the governor’s next port of call even as political parties in the state are in the season of primaries to elect flag bearers for the 2026 governorship election in the state.
By Eric Elezuo
The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Badaru, and a two-term former governor of Jigawa State, has resigned his appointment. This is shortly after the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa (retd) visited Aso Rock Villa, and had a closed door meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
The resignation, which is with immediate effect, according to statement credited to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is contained in a letter dated December 1, 2025, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu. Badaru, who is 63 years, quoted health grounds as reason for quitting his job.
The statement added that “President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation.
“President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.
His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course.
He served as defence minister for 27 months since August 21, 2023.
The immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has responded to Governor Monday Okpebholo, insisting that no one can bar him from entering Benin City, the State capital.
Obaseki’s response followed Okpebholo’s claim that the former governor would not return to the State because he is allegedly unpopular with the people.
Okpebholo stated this during an interview at the weekend that Edo remains firmly behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing what he described as the President’s achievements in the State. He added that he would resign if Tinubu fails to secure re-election in 2027.
He further claimed that Obaseki lacks the courage to visit the State to campaign for anyone other than Tinubu, alleging that the former governor would face rejection from residents, including children, due to what he described as Obaseki’s poor governance record.
“Everybody is for Asiwaju, who is Obaseki? Does he have one anywhere here? Let him come here now. He cannot come. His poor record will prevent him from going to Edo.
“Obaseki dares not come here. If Asiwaju does not win his re-election, I will resign as a governor,” he declared.
In a viral video on Monday, Obaseki countered that Okpebholo, whom he referred to as a man from a village in Edo State, lacks the authority to stop him from entering the State.
The former governor added that he deliberately avoided commenting on Okpebholo’s administration since leaving office, to allow his successor room to perform.
“When you start with violence, you will reap violence. For one year since I left office, I have not said a word on his government, I have said to myself that I would give them the opportunity to shine.
“Suddenly, he started attacking my personality and threatening me. That was enough; he brought people to Manchester to attack me.
“This week, this governor had a disgraceful press conference, where he was threatening me. Somebody born in Oredo. This is a villager threatening me that I cannot come to Benin, and that when I come, he will show me. Me! When I am ready to go, we will all come. This is an insult,” he said.
