Aviation

FG suspends Adeboye’s jet over expired documents

Published

5 years ago

April 18, 2021

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has grounded a private chopper belonging to Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at the Lagos airport, investigations by Sunday PUNCH has revealed.

It was learnt that the aircraft, AgustaWestland AW139 chopper, with registration number 5N-EAA, was suspended from flying over two weeks ago, following the expiration of some of its papers and spare parts.

The suspension, officials said, would also allow the regulator to conduct vital safety checks on its safety-critical components, especially some spare parts that are due for replacement.

Adeboye had last Saturday during a special meeting with all ordained ministers of the mission at the RCCG, Region 21, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, called for drastic action against corrupt practices in all facets of Nigeria.

The RCCG leader, who flew a chopper to the venue, said he arrived late for the meeting because someone had requested a bribe from him to fly his chopper.

He said he had decided to embark on the trip via his chopper to avoid a possible gridlock on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The 79-year-old mathematician-turned-preacher said, “I don’t give excuses because I have discovered long ago that only failures give excuses. But you must pray for Nigeria.

“Something must be done about corruption in this nation. All I can say is that I am this late because somebody wanted a bribe. And you know if you are expecting a bribe from me, you have to wait forever.

“But the devil has failed. And the devil will continue to fail. I decided to come by helicopter so that there won’t be a traffic jam that would tie me down on the expressway because I know what the devil could do.

“Then, I ran into something else. But by the grace of God, we are here.”

Although Sunday PUNCH could not ascertain who requested the alleged bribe from the revered servant of God, investigations by the paper revealed that the cleric’s chopper was suspended from flying by the regulatory authority over safety issues.

Multiple aviation sources confirmed that Adeboye could not fly his chopper with registration number 5N-EAA to the Ibadan programme but had to fly another aircraft reportedly belonging to Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel).

A top official of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, who is close to the operations of the two choppers belonging to the servants of God, said, “The team relating directly with Daddy G.O. should have told the man of God on time that his chopper had not been cleared by the NCAA and, as such, it couldn’t go on the Ibadan trip. They shouldn’t have waited till the last minute. The NCAA (aviation regulatory agency) that we have now is different from what it used to be. There is a new man in charge who always insists that things must be done properly as far as the safety of lives is concerned. The church’s protocol team should have told him that the NCAA has not cleared the aircraft and it may not clear it within a short time because certain procedure must be followed. As such, an alternative arrangement should have been made.”

The NAMA official, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, further said, “On that last Saturday morning, when it later became obvious that the jet was not cleared to fly, they had to make an alternative arrangement with Bishop Oyedepo’s chopper. They had to quickly begin that process by filing the flight plan, etc. It was Bishop’s aircraft that Pastor Adeboye later flew to the event. He could not use his own.”

A top official of Omni-Blu Aviation, the airline operating the chopper for Adeboye, confirmed the development.

The official, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity, said a letter from Italy-based Leonardo, the manufacturer of Adeboye’s AW 139 helicopter, requesting the NCAA to grant a time extension on some spare parts that are due for replacement came late.

The spare parts due for replacement have been ordered from the manufacturer but they have yet to be shipped into Nigeria because they are usually produced on demand, according to Omni-Blu Aviation.

As such, the NCAA could not immediately grant the requested extension. Instead, the regulatory agency requested that comprehensive safety checks be conducted on the aircraft in line with standard aviation safety practice.

He said, “The NCAA that we have now is different from what it used to be. It always insists on standard. We don’t want any disappointing situation for anybody, especially for a globally reputed servant of God like Daddy G.O. It appears the man of God was not properly briefed. But we thank God an alternative arrangement was made to rescue the situation. Safety is first and paramount. No life is worth toying with, how much more that of a servant of God like Daddy G.O. As an airline, we won’t compromise safety no matter the pressure.”

The Omni-Blu official denied knowledge of any bribe request, either by the airline or aviation officials.

He, however, said it was not impossible that some people might have cashed in on the situation to demand a bribe.

“You know some people don’t fear God no matter what. They can even go to the extent of asking a servant of God for a bribe. So, it is not impossible. But on our part, I am not aware of such.”

As it stands, it is uncertain when Adeboye’s chopper will be allowed to fly.

However, findings revealed that NCAA had directed maintenance and safety checks to be conducted on the aircraft.

As such, the operator has secured a date for this at Aero’s maintenance hangar.

When contacted for comments, the Director-General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, confirmed that the regulatory agency had suspended flights on the aircraft for safety reasons.

According to him, the NCAA does not often deal directly with individuals or owners of aircraft but the operator.

In this case, he said the NCAA only had business with the operator of the aircraft, Omni-Blu Aviation.

Nuhu said, “There are safety-related issues that must be resolved before the aircraft will be approved for resumption of flights. Safety is the paramount consideration in all approvals given by the NCAA. No matter what, we must not sacrifice safety for flights; that is the whole idea.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for RCCG, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, said the matter was being resolved already.

On the bribery allegation, he said the church would not want to take issue with the aviation authorities on the matter.

Olubiyi said, “We will not want to take issue with the aviation authorities but I can assure you that an amicable solution is being found to the issue.”

-Sunday PUNCH

Aviation

FAAN Introduces Hybrid Toll Payment System Following Tinubu’s Directive

Published

1 month ago

March 6, 2026

Trends Admin

FAAN Introduces Hybrid Toll Payment System Following Tinubu’s Directive

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has introduced a temporary hybrid toll payment system at airports nationwide following heavy traffic congestion caused by the rollout of its cashless toll payment policy. The move comes after President Bola Tinubu directed the authority to ease implementation challenges to prevent travel disruptions.

FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, told journalists in Lagos on Thursday that the decision followed severe gridlock at major airport toll gates, particularly Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, as motorists struggled to adapt to fully digital payment methods. “He [the President] saw the traffic congestion and directed us to temporarily revert to a hybrid approach,” Kuku said. “This ensures smoother access while we refine the cashless system — it is a win for the industry.”

The hybrid model allows commuters and travellers to pay tolls using a combination of cash, prepaid FAAN cards, e-tags, debit cards, and other electronic options. Kuku emphasized that the arrangement will let FAAN continue its digital payment initiative while still accommodating users who have yet to register or activate electronic payment channels.

FAAN Introduces Hybrid Toll Payment System Following Tinubu’s Directive

Aviation

FCCPC Finds Evidence of Airfare Manipulation by Domestic Airlines

Published

1 month ago

February 27, 2026

Trends Admin

FCCPC Finds Evidence of Airfare Manipulation by Domestic Airlines

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it has uncovered credible evidence of airfare manipulation by domestic airlines in Nigeria, revealing that some carriers may have artificially inflated ticket prices during the December 2025 festive travel season beyond what market forces would justify. In an interim report released on Thursday, the FCCPC said its extensive forensic review of airfare data collected directly from airlines across key domestic routes shows striking irregularities in pricing patterns that appear inconsistent with normal seasonal demand, fuel costs, foreign exchange movements, or other operational variables.

The review by the Commission’s Surveillance and Investigations Department, led by Director of Corporate Affairs Ondaje Ijagwu, compared peak-season fares in December 2025 against ticket prices in the post-holiday period of January 2026. In many cases — notably on high-traffic corridors such as Abuja–Port Harcourt, Lagos–Calabar, and Lagos–Enugu — the difference in fares reached as high as ₦405,000 for a single ticket, even though essential cost drivers remained relatively stable. “These fare differences appear to reflect airlines’ arbitrary pricing decisions, yield management strategies, and capacity allocation practices rather than any variation in regulated fees or significant changes in operating conditions,” Ijagwu said, suggesting that multiple domestic carriers might have engaged in tacit coordination rather than true competition.

The report also showed that during the peak period, reduced seat availability paired with clustered price ranges across multiple operators raised further competition concerns, lending weight to potential violations of Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. The interim findings flagged possible breaches of provisions governing restraint of competition, abuse of dominant positions, price-fixing, conspiracy, unfair contract terms, and consumers’ right to fair dealings — signalling that airlines may have breached multiple competition and consumer protection rules.

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The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) swiftly pushed back against the FCCPC’s report. AON spokesman Prof. Obiora Okonkwo said the Commission lacks the specialised expertise to analyse aviation pricing, warning that the probe could harm Nigeria’s fragile airline sector. “They don’t understand the economics of airlines or how ticket prices are set based on yield, load factors, aircraft utilisation and revenue management systems,” Okonkwo said. “This action is very detrimental to the survival of domestic operators.”

Independent aviation analysts in Nigeria say pricing behaviour in the sector has long lacked transparency. Dr. Uche Okoro, a transport economist, told news editors that while peak-season travel normally pushes fares up, the consistency of spikes across multiple airlines on the same dates and routes — even where there was no significant change in fuel or exchange rates — suggests coordinated pricing behaviour. “Market competition should push airlines to differentiate prices based on service levels and actual costs,” Okoro said. “When several carriers raise prices almost in unison, especially on predictable peak travel dates, it warrants scrutiny.”

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) acknowledged the FCCPC’s interim report and pledged to support the broader probe, noting that the aviation sector must balance airline financial sustainability with fair market practices. An NCAA spokesperson said: “We are engaging with the FCCPC and industry stakeholders to promote a transparent pricing environment. While airlines need to remain viable, consumers must also be protected from exploitative fare regimes.” The NCAA emphasised that factors such as fleet size limits, airport slot restrictions, seasonal demand patterns, and infrastructure capacity do affect pricing, but agreed that unusually steep price spikes merit investigation.

According to the FCCPC, the route-by-route analysis showed that on Abuja–Port Harcourt, average peak-period fares were far higher than post-peak levels, with many tickets in December priced well above the typical seasonal range. On Lagos–Calabar and Lagos–Enugu, similar patterns of clustered fare bands across airlines suggested pricing behaviour broadly aligned among competitors rather than differentiated by market forces. Across sampled routes, median fares during the festive period were significantly elevated compared with post-peak benchmarks, despite stable fuel price trends, unchanged airport taxes, and no major exchange rate shocks. The FCCPC noted that while predictable seasonal demand surges can justify higher fares, the magnitude and pattern of the increases observed in December 2025 are not fully explained by ordinary market conditions.

FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Tunji Bello stressed that the interim report is not an enforcement action, but a step toward deeper investigation. “The Commission’s role is to ensure that market outcomes reflect competition and consumer protection principles,” he said, adding that full findings and possible enforcement measures will follow after the ongoing review. Bello also signalled that foreign airlines operating international routes involving Nigeria will soon be probed, following complaints that Nigerian passengers are often charged significantly higher fares on similar international distances. “No operator — domestic or foreign — will be shielded if evidence confirms fare-fixing or consumer exploitation,” Bello said. The FCCPC has asked both airlines and consumers to assist in the investigation by providing additional data, while warning airlines that violations of the FCCPA could result in regulatory sanctions, fines, or mandatory corrective orders once the full review is concluded.

FCCPC Finds Evidence of Airfare Manipulation by Domestic Airlines

Aviation

248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos

Published

3 months ago

January 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Murtala Muhammed International Airport

248 Passengers Safe as Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing in Lagos

An aircraft carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members made a successful emergency landing in Lagos after developing a mid-air technical fault, aviation and emergency authorities have confirmed.

The aircraft, operated by Qatar Airways, landed safely at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, after the flight crew alerted air traffic control to the fault while en route. Emergency response teams were immediately placed on standby as the plane approached the runway.