One year after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, suspended the collection of a $300 helicopter landing fee, the Ministry has once again reintroduced the fee.

LEADERSHIP reports that Keyamo after widespread criticism by aviation stakeholders on the legality of the payment to a private firm, NAEBI Dynamic Concept, suspended the levy.

He, however, said that further actions on the matter would be taken after a review committee submits its report for scrutiny.

The Minister, while suspending the levy,  hinted that the committee held a meeting with the executives of the AON on the issue, which prompted the suspension of the levy.

He said, “Following a meeting with the AON executive on the issue bordering on helicopter landing levies collection at aerodromes, helipads, airstrips and others, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has temporarily suspended the enforcement granted Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd, by the Federal Government, as consultants to collect such levies.

“The suspension is with effect from 30th May, 2024. This, the minister said, is a result of clamour for review by some stakeholders in the industry.

“Accordingly, Keyamo has constituted a Committee with members drawn up from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its relevant Agencies, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd who are charged to look into the issues raised by concerned Stakeholders and submit a Report on or before end of June 2024.”

However, in a new twist, the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), announced the reintroduction of the helicopter landing levy and payment to the same Private Firm, NAEBI Dynamic Concept.

NAMA, in a circular signed by the general manager, Air Traffic Control Operations, Akut D.S.,  directed NAEBI Dynamic Concept to commence immediate collection of the levy.

The circular titled, “Authority to Collect Helicopter Landing Levy by Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Ltd” was dated May 15, 2025, and directed to the General Manager, Commercial, NAEBI Dynamic Concept.

The circular said that the company was empowered to collect landing levies for air navigation services related to helicopter operations by oil companies’ operations at airfields, platforms, terminals and rigs.

Also, the company is empowered, according to the circular, to collect the levies from heliports, helipads, airstrips and aerodromes in line with its contract.

The circular declared that by this signal, the company would invoice the respective companies, directing that there should be strict compliance.

It could be recalled that NAMA had last November said that it would recommence the collection of the controversial $300 landing levies from helicopter operators.

However, stakeholders have once again queried the collection of the fee and choice of the company, wondering about the structure NAEBI put in place to deserve such payment from helicopter companies.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an aviation expert queried whether a private firm would collect revenue on behalf of the federal government.

He, however, warned that the newly introduced levy would also disrupt oil production in the country if not properly handled.

“Most of these charterers are International Oil Companies (IOCs), and definitely, it will increase their cost of operation. Also, I know that operators will resist it because the levy is a scam,” the aviation analyst said.

[Leadership]

Ahead of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s second anniversary on May 29th, 2025, economists and financial analysts have rated the ‘Renewed Hope’ government low in improved cost of living for the majority of Nigerians.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Muda Yusuf, and the CEO of SD & D Capital Management, Gbolade Idakolo, disclosed this to DAILY POST in separate interviews on Monday.

Recall that on Tinubu’s inauguration day, he announced fuel subsidy removal and naira floating. The immediate effect jerked up the price of fuel from N198 to N540 per litre.

Thereafter, petrol is now sold between N875 and N920 per litre depending on the location in Nigeria.

Also, the naira depreciated to N1,579.40 per dollar on Monday, from N460.702 in the same period two years ago.

The ripple effects of Tinubu’s reforms were the surge in inflation, with hikes in prices of transportation, food, and the cost of goods and services, inflicting hardship on millions of Nigerians.

This comes as purchasing power for the majority of Nigerians has also been eroded due to high inflation, which climbed to 23.71 percent in April 2025 from 22.22 percent in the same period in 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Although Tinubu’s government approved a N70,000 minimum wage in July 2024 as a solution to the cost of living crisis, the inflation spike eroded the impact of the wage increase.

Similarly, inflation watered-down Federation allocation revenue increases to the three tiers of government in the last two years.

Amid the challenges, economists said that Tinubu’s government had achieved some progress in the aspect of stabilising the economy in the past two years.

On his part, Yusuf said Tinubu’s administration has used the last two years to fix economic fundamentals and stabilise the economy.

“There is no doubt that the GDP numbers have dropped drastically in dollar terms. What is important is to also put distance in context.

“It’s not so much because the GDP had intrinsically contracted that much. What has happened is that because we are estimating the GDP in dollars and because we have seen a sharp depreciation in the exchange rates, that is what has led to the collapse or contraction of the GDP so drastically.

“Imagine computing GDP at $4.50 to the dollar in $4.20 to $3. 2 estimating GDP at $1,500 for $1,006. So the bigger issue here is the exchange rate.

“It’s also that the economy has contracted that much. I think we need to understand that distinction. I’m not saying that the economy has no hard challenges.

“The economy has challenges. But the fact that the GDP had contracted by almost 50% or more, it’s not a reflection of how the economic outputs had contracted. Certainly not.

“This is much more about the exchange rates. That is what it is. And I’m sure that by the time we have the rebasing of the GDP, we’ll be talking of a different figure.

“So in order to make a realistic assessment, we need to wait for the rebased GDP. Let’s see what it will come up with. That is what I know that we are looking at.

“Go and look at our purchasing power parity GDP. It’s about $1.5 trillion as I speak to you. Go and check the numbers, purchasing power parity GDP.

“It’s over a trillion dollars. And then the bigger issue for me in this economy is the second issue, which you raised. It’s about the cost of living.

“That is, for me, the bigger issue of how the cost of living has been so badly impacted by the reforms. Because the reform has triggered very serious inflationary pressure. And inflationary pressure typically erodes purchasing power.

“It erodes real income. That is why we have so much poverty. And again, we have seen a lot of elevated levels of income inequality.

“So these are the things that we need to calibrate our fiscal and monetary policies and possibly even trade policies to address. That, for me, is a bigger issue than the issue of the GDP. We need to calibrate all the calibrators of fiscal policy.

“So our general economic policy is to improve the standard of living, to reduce the cost of living, and to improve the access of the majority of the citizens to basic needs.

“Basic needs, affordability of basic items like food, like pharmaceutical products, like transportation. You know, education and housing—those are the basic needs.

“And that is what the next phase of economic reform or economic management is focusing on. The first few years were essentially about trying to stabilise the economy. Because the economy was practically on the brink.

“You know, at the time, I’m not holding a brief for the administration. But we need to situate this within the legacy issues that the administration itself inherited in terms of the macroeconomic condition.

“That is what it is. I must admit that the cost of living has gone completely out of hand.

“And something has to be done within the context of policy.

“Now that we are beginning to see some improvement in the macroeconomic environment, the stability in the macroeconomic environment, and the slight deceleration of inflation, substance needs to be taken out to deal with the issue of the cost of living. I think that fore, that is what is paramount at this time.

“It is perhaps fair to say that the first two years have been targeted at fixing the economic fundamentals and stabilising the economy.

“Because we had a situation at the inception of the administration where we had a dysfunctional FX regime and scandalous management of fuel subsidy and the downstream sector. These two were the undoing of the economy before the administration.

“The challenge of stabilisation has taken the attention of the administration in this period, which should say other programmes should not have taken place.

“Some of these have begun to take shape, and some have been beginning to yield outcomes. It is important to say that despite how imperative the reforms are, they inflicted significant pain on the citizens, adversely impacted businesses, and affected profit margins; the cost of production escalated, many businesses were thrown into lost positions and some businesses, especially the large ones, exited the country.

“Some businesses collapse as a result of the shock of the reforms. So, the cost of the reforms has been phenomenal. At the individual level, it has a devastating effect on the well-being of the people.

“We had an aggravated situation of poverty as a result of spiking inflation. But the good news is that some progress has been made in terms of stabilising the economy following the reforms.

“Major stability in FX markets over the last ten months- there has been minimum volatility, which has boosted investors’ confidence.

“Improvement in fiscal sustainability as the finances of the government have improved significantly, although the spike in inflation has diminished the value of those increases, but nonetheless, the fiscal position of the government at all levels has improved.

“The government at all levels has more to spend, but whether the money is trickling down to the vulnerable segment of the society, is a different matter.

“Some progress with the refineries, Port Harcourt and Warri, although they are epileptic. The Dangote Refinery commenced production. There are efforts to support domestic refinery by this government.

“Businesses are returning to profitability after losses in the first year of this administration. Returns on investment in the non-oil sector.

“Under the administration there is an improvement in net external reserves, which, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, is now $23 billion. It is a confidence-boosting development.

“It is important to stress that the social cost of the reforms has been phenomenal. Inflation triggered a significant poverty crisis.

“Insecurity in the country has not abated, especially in the last six months.

“Going forward, the government has the responsibility to ensure much more impactful measures to address the phenomenon of the cost of living for the ordinary people.

“The deployment of policy and recalibration for fiscal, monetary, and trade policies to the democratisation of the policies.

“The development must trickle down. A change of strategy in dealing with security.

“We have to deal with the prohibitive interest rate of 27.50 percent to address the challenges of market failure,” he told DAILY POST.

In his review, Idakolo said the Tinubu administration was on the right track despite unpopular decisions in the past two years.

According to him, despite the drop in cost of living, the continued implementation of Tinubu’s reforms can trigger economic prosperity in the coming years.

“The administration of President Tinubu started on a very challenging note with the removal of the fuel subsidy and exchange rate deregulation.

“However, over the past two years, he has been able to stabilise the economy through well-thought-out policies through the MDAs, especially the CBN, which has strengthened the naira and increased the foreign reserves, with diaspora remittance increasing over the past 12 months.

“These measures had also impacted positively on our GDP per capita income, which has grown by over 100%, from $200 billion to over $450 billion.

“The subsidy removal and exchange rate deregulation increased government revenues, and the share of FAAC for the three tiers of government aimed at improving infrastructural developments from the federal to the state level.

“The federal government also successfully negotiated a minimum wage increase with organised labour. The federal government under President Tinubu has reorganised the petroleum sector with improvement in fuel supply and stable fuel prices.

“The administration has completed the establishment of six regional development commissions with their establishment act passed by the National Assembly.

“The government also embarked on massive infrastructural development in several areas and road infrastructure with legacy projects like the Lagos-Calabar coastal road to connect nine southern states, which will definitely improve commerce in the southern corridor.

“The Naira crude sales to refineries in Nigeria, with Dangote refinery leading the charge, is also a major achievement, and the recent policy banning importation of goods that can be produced in Nigeria will further strengthen the manufacturing sector.

“There are several other policies undergoing implementation that will start yielding results in the next few months.

“The administration has also shown fiscal prudence by completing the payment of the IMF Covid loan received during the last administration, which has further reduced Nigeria’s foreign debt and also significantly reduced debt servicing costs.

“The living standard of Nigerians in the past two years has seriously declined due to the policies of this administration, which has seen the people struggling with lower purchasing power than two years ago.

“However, continuing with the approach of the previous administration would have led to total chaos.

“The Tinubu administration is on the right track despite some unpopular decisions and missteps,” he told DAILY POST.

[DailyPost]

Lagos State Government last year penalised 580 nightclubs and restaurants for breaching indoor smoking regulations, as part of its drive to promote public health and enforce safety standards.

Director General of Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC), Mr. Lanre Mojola, disclosed this during the 2025 Ministerial News Briefing held at Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

He said LSSC, the only safety commission in Nigeria, visited 2,024 public places last year, out of which 580 establishments were sanctioned for indoor smoking infractions.

Mojola said while certain facilities such as nightclubs might permit smoking, it must be restricted to designated areas.

He said indiscriminate smoking in public spaces such as buses remained illegal and urged residents to report such acts.

“Public smoking is not allowed, and there’s a bill already in place to prohibit it. People are permitted to smoke only in designated areas within certain venues. If you see people smoking in buses or enclosed spaces, report them. This is a serious public health matter,” Mojola added.

He noted that LSSC launched an anti-indoor smoking campaign in 2024 to sensitise the public on the risks of second-hand smoking, which, he said, could lead to cancer and other serious health conditions.

Addressing questions on the use of consultants by the commission, Mojola said they were engaged to support the agency’s work due to limited staffing.

Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, outlined the key achievements of LSSC in the past year.

He announced the completion of Lagos State Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan (2021–2026), developed in collaboration with government agencies, professional bodies and private stakeholders.

He said the commission finalised the drafting of a safety roadmap for 2023 to 2026, alongside a comprehensive review of over 40 safety documents guiding socio-economic sectors, including construction, manufacturing, event centres, markets, oil and gas, and waterways.

[TheNation]

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of Nigerian children, declaring them as the “pride and future of our great nation” in an address to mark the 2025 International Children’s Day.

Speaking on Tuesday, the President, in a statement he personally signed, highlighted the urgent need for collective action to tackle bullying, violence, and neglect affecting millions of children across the country.

With up to 65 per cent of school-age children in Nigeria reportedly experiencing some form of bullying, Tinubu unveiled a series of bold initiatives to strengthen child protection frameworks, promote safe learning environments, and ensure that no Nigerian child is left behind.

In his message which aligned with this year’s theme, “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation,” the President called on families, schools, communities, and the government to work together in building a safer, more nurturing Nigeria for the next generation.

Here is the full text:

PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU’S MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2025 NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY, TUESDAY, 27TH MAY 2025

1. My Dear Children, the pride and future of our great nation, I join you to celebrate the 2025 National Children’s Day with immense pride and profound joy. On this special day, let me reaffirm our commitment to nurturing and protecting you as Nigeria’s future leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

2. Across every school, community, and home in Nigeria today, you are the most precious part of our national fabric, the heartbeat of our nation’s future, and the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, innovation, and leadership. I therefore reaffirm today our constitutional, moral, and intergenerational duty and commitment to safeguard every Nigerian child, protect his rights, and nurture his dreams.

3. This year’s theme, “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation,” could not have been more timely as it speaks directly to the culture we are building. A culture where every child feels safe, respected, and heard, both in physical spaces and digital communities. Just to be clear, violence, bullying, and neglect have no place in the Nigeria of today.

4. Globally, more than 1 in 3 children experience bullying regularly. In Nigeria, studies estimate that up to 65% of school-age children have experienced some form of physical, psychological, or social aggression. This is unacceptable. A child who learns in fear cannot learn well. A child who grows in fear cannot grow right.

5. My fellow Nigerians and our dear children, we prioritise child protection under the Renewed Hope Agenda. This includes the full implementation of Nigeria’s National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (2024–2030), which I recently launched. The plan provides a comprehensive roadmap to prevent abuse, prosecute perpetrators, and support victims, backed by robust financing and multi-sectoral coordination.

6. We are further taking decisive steps to prevent, detect, and respond to all forms of violence against children. As a government, we have initiated a comprehensive review of the Child Rights Act (2003) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015) to expand the scope of protection, strengthen their provisions, close implementation gaps, and ensure nationwide enforcement. We are also leveraging the Cybercrime Act, which is in full force, to protect children from cyberbullying, exploitation, and abuse.

7. I am pleased to note that 36 states have domesticated the Child Rights Act, thus reflecting our collective resolve to protect and provide for the welfare of children. However, laws alone will not be sufficient to protect our children. We require a holistic approach where parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders, lawmakers, and citizens must take ownership.

8. We are investing in other focused national systems for child protection, such as the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS), which is being scaled up to track and respond to cases in real-time. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs is strengthening community-based child protection mechanisms, training frontline responders, and leading nationwide awareness campaigns to end harmful traditional practices.

9. Additionally, and in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are committed to implementing proactive measures to strengthen existing efforts to support families and communities, including developing a robust institutional framework focused exclusively on Child Protection and Development. This will ensure greater accountability in safeguarding the rights and well-being of every Nigerian child.

10. We have introduced a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools and developed Guidelines for School Administrators, among several other measures. We embed social-emotional learning and child safeguarding into teacher training. Through the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, we create inclusive pathways for every child to learn, thrive, and succeed, regardless of background.

11. In the care economy, we are expanding access to primary healthcare and upscaling dedicated Mother and Child Hospitals and healthcare systems across all six geopolitical zones, offering integrated maternal and child services. We are working collaboratively with subnational governments to ensure the establishment of similar facilities across the States.

12. We believe every child has the right to grow up in a loving and protective environment. To ensure that children who are unable to remain in their biological homes are given the care and protection they deserve, the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs has developed the National Guidelines for Alternative Care for Children. These guidelines would complement the recently launched National Plan of Action on Ending Violence Against Children (EVAC) and strengthen our child protection systems.

13. Through the Nutrition 774 programme and our School Feeding Scheme, we work assiduously to improve child health and cognitive development. The Nutrition 774 project aims to ensure no child in Nigeria goes hungry. Through this project, we are reaching every community, guaranteeing that children receive the necessary nutrition to thrive in their academic pursuits, creative endeavours, and overall health. A well-nourished child is well-equipped and ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

14. To institutionalise our commitment, the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs has recently established a dedicated Department of Nutrition to strengthen policy coherence, programme delivery, and coordination around child and maternal nutrition.

15. We are investing in social protection tools such as the Universal Child Grant and finalising a national Child Wellbeing Index to measure progress, track gaps, and hold ourselves accountable.

16. Our children’s safety cannot be solely anchored on government policies but on community vigilance. This is why I am launching a nationwide “See Something, Say Something, Do Something” campaign today, encouraging every Nigerian to become a child protection champion.

17. To our beloved children: you matter. Your dreams matter. Your voices matter. No one has the right to hurt, silence, or diminish you. If you are bullied or harmed, speak up—you will be heard and protected.

18. I call on all partners, stakeholders, and duty-bearers to sustain and deepen our collective efforts. We must embed child rights in all our budgets, plans, and policies.

19. I commend states taking bold steps for our children’s welfare and urge those yet to act: now is the time. Our children are not just statistics—they are the heart of our nation.

20. Let today mark a renewed movement to build a Nigeria where no child suffers in silence, no child is left behind, and every child grows in dignity, peace, and love.

21. Congratulations to all our children. May your laughter echo across this land as a symbol of Renewed Hope and a prosperous future.

Long live Nigerian children.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.