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Air Peace CEO Onyema commends FG over recovery of assets leased to Nigerian airlines
Barrister Allen Onyema, the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, has commended the Federal Government for agreeing to guarantee aircraft leasing companies for the recovery of their assets leased to Nigerian airlines in case of default.
Onyema made the commendation when officials of Boeing air planes and officials of Aercap, led by Onyema, paid the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo a courtesy visit.
He gave the assurance that the FG will support domestic airlines after aircraft manufacturers expressed the willingness to offer Nigerian carriers dry lease opportunities if certain conditions were met by the country.
Keyamo expressed the willingness of the FG to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian airlines to compete on the global stage and reiterated the resolve of the FG to guarantee the release of lessors’ assets to its owners from any defaulting Nigerian airline.
During the meeting, Keyamo said his decision to enable leasers afford Nigerian airlines dry lease options is in line with the plans of the FG to boost the capacity of Nigerian airlines in order to enable them compete effectively in the international air transport market.
He assured Boeing, Aercap and other leasers that the FG would guarantee the release of their assets from any Nigerian carrier whenever there is default and emphasised that this is a new era and a new government, which has the emphasis to create enabling environment for Nigerian airlines.
The Minister gave the assurance that leasers will not be shortchanged over their assets; stressing that the government would do everything necessary to safeguard them from airlines in the case of default.
He also emphasised that lessors should inform government about the airline they are dealing with so that government would carry out due diligence on the operator’s financial status and other vital records.
Onyema thanked the FG for the commitment to help Nigerian carriers by agreeing in principle to give such guarantees to leasers worldwide.
He said, “By the Minister’s promise today, the government has indicated that it is not paying lip service to its plan to provide lifeline and support to Nigerian airlines and a positive revolution in the aviation industry is now imminent.”
He also commended the Minister on the stand he took for Nigeria on Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) in order to protect Nigerian carriers during the just concluded 15th International Civil Aviation Organisation Air Service Negotiation (ICAN2023) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he led the country to, not only refuse the usual short-changing of the country through lopsided BASA agreements but, in one instance, walked out on a powerful nation that has disrespectfully refused to abide by the principle of reciprocity in her treatment of Nigerian airlines contrary to the BASA signed by both countries.
Two Nigerian-born scientists—Adesola Adegoke, a researcher at Arizona State University (ASU), and Seunnla Adelusi, a PhD candidate at the Université de Sherbrooke, Canada—have been named among the 20 global winners of the Digital GreenTalents Award 2025.
These two Nigerians were announced among the winners during a virtual ceremony held on 25 November. In a statement following the virtual announcement ceremony, the organisers said the 20 awardees for this year joined from different time zones, including “very early morning in Canada and evening hours in the Philippines.”
The digital Green Talent Award is an annual initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) that recognises outstanding young researchers whose work advances sustainability through digital innovation.
Each year, 20 scientists are selected from a competitive global pool for their cutting-edge ideas at the intersection of digitalisation and environmental sustainability.
Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, on Sunday paid a visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
The governor was accompanied by officials of the Sokoto State Government during the closed-door visit.
Nnamdi Kanu was recently moved to Sokoto after he was convicted on terrorism-related charges and handed a life sentence by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Governor Otti had earlier promised to pursue every lawful and political avenue to ensure that Kanu gets justice. Sunday’s visit is seen as part of ongoing efforts by the Abia State Government regarding his case.
Details of the meeting were not made public as of the time of this report.
Armed terrorists have abducted a bride-to-be, her bridesmaid, and eight other residents from Chacho village in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State
The Sokoto abduction occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to residents, when the attackers stormed the village. Most of the victims were women, with only one man also taken.
One resident sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment. Villagers told reporters that the bride was preparing for her wedding scheduled for later that morning when the raid struck, plunging the community into shock and mourning.
A community member described the attack as “tragic,” noting the delay in security response. “Security operatives were alerted immediately, but they only arrived about an hour after the bandits had fled,” he said, expressing frustration.
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