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$600m trapped fund: IBA, Lufthansa, other foreign airlines to pull out of Nigeria
Following complaints of trapped funds, the United Arab Emirates, UAE, flag carrier, Emirates airlines, disclosed that effective from September 1, 2022, it would suspend operation in Nigeria’s airspace.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in response to the development, maintained that the move by Emirates airline was legitimate.
This is even as the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, assured yesterday that the federal government was doing everything possible to resolve the issue.
Emirates which has taken the first step, said in a letter transmitted to the Minister of Aviation yesterday that it would, with effect from September 1, suspend operations to the country, citing its inability to repatriate the over $85 million trapped in Nigeria.
The airline’s statement read: ”Emirates has tried every avenue to address our ongoing challenges in repatriating funds from Nigeria, and we have made considerable efforts to initiate dialogue with the relevant authorities for their urgent intervention to help find a viable solution.
”Regrettably, there has been no progress. Therefore, Emirates has taken the difficult decision to suspend all flights to and from Nigeria, effective September 1 2022, to limit further losses and impact on our operational costs that continue to accumulate in the market.
”We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our customers, however the circumstances are beyond our control at this stage. We will be working to help impacted customers make alternative travel arrangements wherever possible.
”Should there be any positive developments in the coming days regarding Emirates’ blocked funds in Nigeria, we will of course re-evaluate our decision. We remain keen to serve Nigeria, and our operations provide much needed connectivity for Nigerian travellers, providing access to trade and tourism opportunities to Dubai and to our broader network of over 130 destinations.”
Although British Airways refused to disclose the amount of its money trapped in the country, Vanguard gathered that it was also in the region of $85 million.
A source disclosed that the airline is equally mulling the idea of stopping operations to Nigeria but failed to disclose when this would happen.
Same, it was learned yesterday, applied to some other foreign airlines operating flights into the country.
It’s a legitimate demand – NCAA
Reacting to the development, NCAA spokesman, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said if Emirates, as a foreign airline, decided not to fly into Nigeria, it was a government-to -government decision.
“Their demand is legitimate. If you travel to another country to put up an investment, you will need to transfer your money back to your country.
“The airline is running a business. The government may need to invite them for talks and look for a way of assisting them in managing the development,” he said.
Fund to hit $1bn in December – Experts
Also reacting yesterday, the principal managing partner, Avaero Capital Partners, Sindy Foster, noted that the combined total of fund trapped was $600m as at this month.
She said: “If this fund is left unchecked, it could reach $1billion by the end of 2022. Emirates has taken this action to prevent their losses increasing further.
“I think other airlines will wait to see if there is any movement by the Nigerian government first. No one would want to stop a route at one of the busiest times when we are still coming out of fallout of the COVID pandemic. But airlines are run on a commercial basis.
“If the ‘math is not matching’, they will take a view and adapt to the situation they find themselves in. There are other routes that aircraft and personnel could be deployed to, where their funds are not blocked and are available to them for use in a reasonable time frame. If no resolution is found, it is quite likely other airlines will follow the path chosen by Emirates.”
On his part, the Group Managing Director of Finchglow Holdings, Bankole Bernard, stated that this was not the first time foreign airlines were facing the issue of trapped funds.
“This also happened, I think in 2016 when the total trapped fund of the airlines was far higher than whatever we have now – it was about $750m then and they were making a particular comparison because as at that time Venezuela was also going through the same challenges and they owed a lot more, to the extent that Lufthansa had to stop flying to Venezuela.
“Then, some of the things we noticed were reduced capacity, air tickets became more expensive and that is exactly what we are seeing now. But, one critical reason they are more agitated is that in 2016, after their money was held back without being repatriated, Nigeria devalued its currency and as a business person, they felt that if they had taken their money out, they would not have been affected by the devaluation.
“So, that is the fear they are nursing now because if the currency is devalued, it means that they would have lost several per cent of that money they intend to repatriate.
“The only way we can reduce or stop this agitation is that there should be a communiqué from the government, which will give them some assurances that the country is not planning to devalue and this won’t affect them and that they will repatriate their money as it were.”
Stop the subtle blackmail, stakeholder tell Emirates
However, s stakeholder who pleaded anonymity, questioned what he described as blackmail of Emirates in Nigeria over the planned halt of operations into the country.
He said: “Please do not succumb to the blackmail of Emirates and their sponsors from within. The country cannot and will not manufacture dollars for them to repatriate their so called over $80 million in Nigeria.
”When they were competing devilishly to outdo an indigenous carrier, the only airline doing direct flight to Dubai, didn’t they know of the dollar situation here before embarking on having multiple frequencies into Nigeria.?
”They do two flights out of Lagos daily and one out of Abuja daily, bringing the total to three daily flights into Nigeria and 21 flights every week,”
“Once they heard a Nigerian airline was about to start flying to Dubai, they applied to increase the Lagos frequency to three flights daily, just to stifle the airline and dominate the route. They didn’t need all these flights but they increased frequency to stifle competition. Nigerians are even angry at the figures they are publishing; they feel having been ripped off by Emirates.”
Emirates: FG doing everything to resolve crisis, $85m not blocked – FG
Meanwhile, the federal government said yesterday it was working hard to address the imminent stoppage of flight operations into the country by Emirates Airlines.
Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, James Odaodu, said there was hope that Sirika’s effort would bring about a quick resolution of the challenges faced by Emirates and other foreign airlines in the shortest possible time.
He said: “It is an unfortunate situation and the minister is greatly concerned, just as he is concerned about the difficulties faced by domestic operators. It is hoped that, with the efforts of the Minister, the issue will be resolved sooner rather than later.”
Odaodu, however, dismissed claims that the revenues generated by the airline were blocked, noting that the challenge with the funds was that of repatriation.
“Who withheld the money? That they are unable to repatriate their funds doesn’t amount to withholding by government. As much as the Minister of Aviation has tried to assist them with relevant bodies to facilitate their access to forex, it should be noted that the issue does not fall among the responsibilities of the Ministry of Aviation,” he added.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a sweeping reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first comprehensive restructuring of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago.
The landmark reforms, approved during Monday’s FEC meeting in Abuja, are aimed at transforming the NYSC into a skills-driven, productivity-focused institution that aligns with the Federal Government’s economic development agenda.
One of the most significant changes is the restructuring of the scheme’s leadership, with the NYSC to be headed by a civilian for the first time, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members across the country.
To give legal effect to the reforms, the Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations.
Announcing the development on Monday, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the decision as the first holistic review of the NYSC since its creation in 1973.
“We are transforming the Scheme into a platform that not only unites Nigeria but also equips our young people with the skills, experience and opportunities they need to thrive in a fast-changing world,” the minister said.
According to Olawande, the reforms are designed to reposition the NYSC as “a skills-driven, productivity-focused and youth-empowering institution” in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
The approved reforms include a technology-driven call-up process, risk-sensitive deployment to enhance the safety of corps members, a redesigned six-week orientation programme with greater emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career tracks, as well as skills-based primary assignments aligned with graduates’ academic backgrounds and career aspirations.
Other changes include modern governance with civilian operational leadership, improved orientation camp standards through a national grading and certification system, a new graduation ceremony to replace the traditional Passing Out Parade, and a redesigned NYSC uniform aimed at promoting professionalism and national pride.
Olawande disclosed that the reform process began in 2025 following extensive consultations involving the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
“This is more than a reform of an institution. It is an investment in Nigeria’s greatest asset—our young people. The future of the NYSC begins now, and it is brighter, more relevant and more impactful than ever,” he added.
Established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War, the NYSC was created to foster national unity by deploying graduates to states outside their regions of origin for one year of compulsory national service.
The latest reforms represent the most far-reaching changes in the history of the scheme, with the Federal Government saying they will make the NYSC more relevant to Nigeria’s evolving economic and youth development priorities.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has approved a cabinet reshuffle that affects all Special Advisers, Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, as well as the Deputy Chief of Staff and the Principal Private Secretary.
The development was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the governor’s Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mashood Agboola, who described the move as a minor cabinet shake-up.
“Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved a minor cabinet shake-up involving all Special Advisers, Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, and Special Assistants,” the statement read.
According to the statement, the decision was taken to create opportunities for more members of the ruling party and bring renewed energy into the administration.
The statement noted that the exercise also affects the Deputy Chief of Staff and the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor.
The reshuffle comes as part of efforts by the AbdulRazaq administration to reconstitute parts of its team while broadening participation within the government.
The United Kingdom rejected at least 1,344,595 Nigerian visa applications between 2005 and the first quarter of 2026, official Home Office data reveals.
The rejection rate places Nigeria second globally in total visa refusals, behind only India and ahead of Pakistan and China, among others, as Nigerians alone accounted for 44.4 per cent of all UK visa rejections across Africa in the period.
Over the 21-year period, the UK also granted 2,723,558 visas to Nigerians, making it the third-highest total issued to any nationality in the world, behind only India and China.
The data showed that Nigeria was the largest single recipient of UK entry clearance visas in Africa, ahead of South Africa (1,638,538) and Egypt (695,606).
The figures are drawn from the UK Home Office’s entry clearance visa outcomes datasets, covering the first quarter of 2005 through the first quarter of 2026, obtained by The PUNCH from the UK government’s immigration system statistics data tables published in 2026.
The dataset covers all decisions across visitor, study, work, family, and other visa routes.
For Nigeria, the cumulative refusal rate over the 21-year period stood at 33.1 per cent, more than double the UK’s global average of 14.8 per cent.
Of the approximately 4.09 million Nigerian applications submitted, 4,068,153 received issued or refused decisions.
Nigeria’s 1.34 million refusals accounted for 15.2 per cent of all 8,829,638 UK visa refusals worldwide.
Over the two decades, approximately one in every seven UK visa rejections went to a Nigerian applicant, even as Nigerians submitted just 6.8 per cent of all global applications.
Visitor visas dominated both the grants and the rejections. Of the 1,344,595 refused applications for Nigerians, 1,127,088, or 83.8 per cent, fell in the visitor category, which carried a 37.1 per cent refusal rate over the full period.
Study visa rejections totalled 130,712 at a 20.5 per cent rate, work visa rejections amounted to 41,410 at 16 per cent, and family refusals were 12,217.
In 2025, visitor visa refusals alone stood at 66,143, against 105,039 issued, at a 38.6 per cent rejection rate.
By the first quarter of 2026, 13,779 visitor visa applications had already been refused at 37.5 per cent.
The period with the sharpest refusal rate was the mid-2000s, where, in 2006, the UK turned down 117,968 Nigerian applications, a rate of 49.6 per cent.
Refusals had also reached 111,058 in 2005 at a 44.4 per cent rate.
The numbers improved over the ensuing decade, with the refusal rate falling to 26.2 per cent in 2011 and eventually reaching its recent low of 21 per cent in 2023, when a post-pandemic surge drove a record 281,658 visa grants to Nigerian applicants.
It was the highest single-year total in the dataset, preceded by 249,332 grants in 2022.
However, the high acceptance rate did not last. In April 2024, the UK raised the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas from £26,200 to £38,700, a 48 per cent increase, and restricted dependent visa rights for students and care workers, which cut application volumes.
Nigeria’s work visa applications fell by about 68 per cent in 2024 after the salary threshold review rendered many previously qualifying roles ineligible, according to analysis by immigration research firm Intelpoint.
In 2024, 77,706 Nigerians were refused at a rate of 33.5 per cent, and in 2025, 77,571 were refused at 33.1 per cent.
By the first quarter of 2026, 16,692 had been refused at 35.4 per cent, higher than either of the preceding two full years.
In Africa, Nigeria topped the list of nationalities with the most UK visa rejections.
Of the 3,027,198 total UK visa refusals for all African nationalities over the period, Nigeria’s 1,344,595 constituted 44.4 per cent.
Ghana ranked second among African countries with 374,108 refusals at a 40.5 per cent rate, followed by Algeria (191,903 refusals at 41.7 per cent rate), Egypt (134,055 at 16.2 per cent rate), Zimbabwe (102,246 at 26 per cent rate), Morocco (93,722 at 22.2 per cent rate), Kenya (75,973 at 18.8 per cent rate), Uganda (64,759 at 34.9 per cent rate), South Africa (61,521 at 3.6 per cent rate), and Sudan (59,069 at 31 per cent rate).
Across all nationalities, the UK processed 60,063,475 visa applications between 2005 and Q1 2026, issuing 50,873,344 and refusing 8,829,638.
African applicants submitted 11,433,508 of those visa requests, making up nine per cent of the global total, yet received 3,027,198 refusals, representing 34.3 per cent of all UK rejections worldwide.
African nations accounted for nearly double the share of applications, yet generated only about half the volume of refusals.
Nigeria alone submitted 35.7 per cent of all African applications and claimed 32.7 per cent of all UK visas issued to Africans.
The UK entry clearance visa system requires citizens of non-exempt countries, including Nigeria, to obtain formal permission before arrival.
Under the points-based immigration framework introduced in 2008 and expanded after Brexit, applicants must demonstrate financial solvency, genuine intent to visit, and sponsorship for work and study routes.
Visitor visa decisions, which remain the most contested category, depend on entry clearance officers’ assessment of financial evidence and the applicant’s ties to their home country.
These criteria, reports say, have historically led to higher refusal rates among applicants from economies classified as high-emigration risk.
In the year ending September 2025, Nigerians ranked among the top five nationalities submitting asylum claims after entering the UK on a valid visa.
The Home Office said this pattern has led it to tighten controls on its visa and asylum grants to Nigerians.
Speaking to our correspondent, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said the inclination to leave the country largely stems from Nigeria’s struggling economy, with many citizens taking the Japa route.
He argued that the japa trend may only be reduced by significant economic improvement in the nation.
“The urge to travel out of the country is, in itself, primarily a function of the performance of our national economy. The economic doldrums have pushed compatriots into Japa mode.
“The trend may, unfortunately, increase until there’s a turnaround in the performance of the national economy,” the ex-diplomat noted.
He said while the number of visa rejections is worrisome, the sheer volume of approvals balances it out.
Amedu-Ode added, “Even then, the simultaneous increase in approvals and rejection is a function of the spike in the number of our compatriots applying to travel to that zone of the world.”
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the reshuffle is part of efforts to strengthen national security and improve operational effectiveness across the country.
The statement added that the postings affected field commanders, school commandants and principal staff officers at the Army Headquarters.
It noted that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, approved the strategic redeployment of senior officers, saying the move was aimed at enhancing the Army’s capacity to address emerging security challenges.
Under the new appointments, Major General WM Dangana has been named the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE, replacing Major General EF Oyinlola.
Similarly, Major General EI Okoro has been appointed GOC 6 Division Nigerian Army and Land Component Commander of Joint Task Force South-South Operation DELTA SAFE, succeeding Major General EE Emeka.
The statement also announced the appointment of Major General JR Lar as Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, while Brigadier General OM Oyekola will serve as Acting Military Secretary (Army). Brigadier General I Waziri retains his position as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff.
As part of efforts to strengthen operational leadership and combat readiness, Brigadier General IB Buhari was appointed Commander of Headquarters 63 Brigade, while Brigadier General K Rabiu was named Commander of Headquarters 31 Artillery Brigade.
In a move reflecting the Army’s growing emphasis on technology and emerging security threats, Major General SA Emmanuel was appointed Commander of the Nigerian Army Space Command.
Major General O Adegbe was also appointed Director of Intelligence and Security at Defence Headquarters.
In the area of military education and institutional development, Major General KE Chigbu was appointed Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, while Major General SD Makolo became Commandant of the Nigerian Army Armour School.
Other appointments include Major General SO Adejimi as Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport and Major General FS Etim as Chief of Training at the Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command, Nigerian Army (TRADOC).
Brigadier General U Ahmad has also been appointed Commandant of Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria.
The reshuffle further saw Major General KO Ukandu appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Post Housing Development Limited, while Major General AI Allison was named Managing Director of Defence Properties Limited.
The statement added, “The COAS charged the newly appointed senior officers to justify the confidence reposed in them by demonstrating exemplary leadership, professionalism, innovation and unwavering commitment to the Nigerian Army’s constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity and supporting civil authority in maintaining peace and security across the nation.
“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its transformation drive and commitment to building a highly professional, combat-ready and people-oriented force capable of effectively addressing contemporary and future security challenges in pursuit of Nigeria’s national security objectives.”
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has come under criticism on social media after encouraging Nigerians to consider small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying they require little capital to start.
Tinubu spoke while addressing State House Correspondents after the Renewed Hope Initiative’s second-quarter meeting with wives of state governors, held at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.
She stated this while highlighting the efforts of the Renewed Hope Initiative to support vulnerable Nigerians through grants and other interventions.
According to her, beneficiaries of the initiative were given grants, not loans, to enable them to start businesses.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.
“So we’ve encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given, and I keep giving,” she said.
The First Lady said the initiative had also supported interventions in healthcare, agriculture, education and social investment.
She said she donated N2bn to tackle tuberculosis, N1bn for breast cancer interventions and N500m to address malnutrition.
“I remember giving for TB. When I heard there were so many TB cases, I gave N2 billion. To breast cancer, I gave a billion. For food malnutrition, I gave half a billion.
“So those are the things we’ve been doing and making sure we can make sure that whatever this government is trying to do, it will see the light of day,” she stated.
Tinubu added that the initiative had also provided scholarships, ICT training and support for agriculture and social investment programmes.
She urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite the country’s economic challenges.
“The narrative has really changed, has changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. So I like the idea that Mr President say this is the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We have to renew our hope, and that’s how we renew our hope, you know, and that’s what I have to tell Nigerians,” she said.
The remarks, however, triggered swift backlash on social media, with many Nigerians accusing the First Lady of trivialising the economic hardship facing ordinary citizens.
A user on X, @ADCVanguard_, said the video showed “exactly how disconnected Nigeria’s ruling class has become from the reality of ordinary citizens.”
Another user, @ireteeh, contrasted the initiative with private-sector efforts, saying, “The First Lady is empowering people with akara, corn, and kuli-kuli, while an ordinary citizen with limited resources is equipping people to build thriving careers in cybersecurity.”
A user identified as Nefertiti (@firstladyship) said, “Nigerians are in big trouble. There is fire on the mountain but the people are tired of running.”
See also Fire guts Anambra timber market
However, some social media users, especially on X, defended the First Lady, insisting there was nothing wrong with encouraging Nigerians towards such businesses.
A user, @Akikanju1568901, said akara is “one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria,” with a low startup cost and high profit margin, adding that “akara sellers sent many kids… to universities, built houses, bought cars.”
Another user, @PemiOladapo, said, “There’s dignity in labour… these are our local snacks! People should start it and scale it!”
A user, @TossynBankz_, however, argued that the criticism was not about the businesses themselves but about timing.
“Nobody is mocking akara, roasted corn, or kuli-kuli. Those are honest businesses. The problem is that Nigerians are asking for a better economy, more jobs, and lower prices. Telling people to start selling akara in this situation just feels like the government doesn’t understand what people are going through,” the user wrote.
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