In a directive issued on May 22, 2026, the aviation regulator instructed its departments nationwide to halt official support and approvals for the affected operators until outstanding financial obligations are resolved or structured repayment arrangements are reached.

The action stems from unpaid remittances linked to the mandatory five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge, deductions airlines collect on behalf of the NCAA to finance aviation safety monitoring, workforce development and economic supervision across the industry.

According to the internal communication signed by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Olufemi Odukoya, no agency unit is permitted to provide services to any listed airline without prior financial authorisation from the finance department. The memo was also copied to the Director-General of Civil Aviation and senior management officials.

Among the carriers affected are Air Peace, Ibom Air, Arik Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Umza Air, NG Eagle, Max Air, Caverton Helicopters, Overland Airways, Rano Air and ValueJet.

Industry stakeholders say the enforcement measure could disrupt regulatory processing for the airlines involved, potentially affecting flight operations, approvals and other administrative activities if the debt issues remain unresolved.

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A statement by the media information officer Operation Hadin Kai Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba says,troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion deployed at Dutse Kura successfully rescued the 92 victims, comprising 52 males, 33 females and 7 children in 8 vehicles

In a bid to delay the advancing troops, the fleeing terrorists covertly planted three IEDs along the Bula Zarma, Mangari general area but were successfully detonated

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The female Chinese national who naturalised in Malaysia was arrested on Sunday 17th May 2026 upon her arrival in Nigeria from Thailand via Dubai, UAE, aboard an Emirates Airline flight. She was intercepted by NDLEA operatives attached to the Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Investigation revealed that the suspect travelled from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria via the UAE with two large travel boxes containing the synthetic cannabis consignment weighing 31.0 kilograms.

During an interview, the 63-year-old suspect who claims she works as a caregiver in Malaysia stated that her daughter sponsored her trip from Malaysia to Thailand and subsequently to Nigeria.

She further disclosed that she spent two weeks in Thailand, before she was handed the illicit consignment at the Thailand airport to deliver in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, another major shipment of illicit drug consignment has been recovered at the import shed of the Lagos airport. Following close monitoring of the consignment by NDLEA operatives since its arrival from India aboard an Emirates Cargo flight, the 29 large cartons containing One Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ten (1,825,710) tablets of Tapentadol 250mg, worth Two Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Two Thousand Naira (N2,190,852,000) were eventually handed over to the NDLEA by the Customs Service on Friday 22nd May 2026.

In another successful interdiction operation, NDLEA operatives at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on Wednesday 20th May intercepted a suspect Onyeka Valentine Emeka during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. When placed under observation, the suspect excreted a total of 185.36 grams of cocaine.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a 29-year-old building engineer, Babatunde Prosper Afekhide was on Wednesday 21st May arrested by NDLEA operatives while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Abuja via Addis Ababa to Milan Malpensa, Italy.

A search conducted on his luggage led to the recovery of 10,280 pills of Tramaking 225mg; Tramadol 200mg and Tapentadol 250mg. The opioids were concealed using foil paper and hidden inside a carton, in a suitcase, obviously to evade detection.

In yet another operation at a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives intercepted 1,174 pills of MDMA (Ecstasy) concealed in bicycle luggage carrier heading to Netherlands; 66 pills of tramadol 225mg hidden in soap container going to the United States and 18 tablets of tramadol 225mg concealed in body cream container heading to the United Kingdom.

In Edo state, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence raided Igwe community in Owan East LGA where a total of 59 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 489kg and cannabis seeds weighing 9kg were recovered.

While a suspect Isah Sani, 30, was nabbed with 196,000 pills of exol-5 on Wednesday 20th May along Zaria/Kano road, Kano state, NDLEA officers at Seme border, Badagry area of Lagos recovered 59kg skunk from a warehouse in Mowo, Badagry on Tuesday 19th May.

Another operational success was recorded in Ekiti state where NDLEA operatives on Saturday 23rd May raided a warehouse located at N/56, Ikoyi community, Ikole-Ekiti and recovered 1,116 kilograms of skunk, while 54-year-old suspect Ogundana Adebayo Julius was arrested in connection with the seizure.

With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Command Day School, Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo state; Girls Secondary School, Amenyi, Anambra; Matazu Model Primary School, Matazu LGA, Katsina; C&S Primary School, Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos; Alufo High School, Apugo, Enugu; Aramoko District Commercial Secondary School, Aramoko Ekiti; and Government Girls Secondary School, Kurna, Kano state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, NAIA, AIIA, Edo, Ekiti, Seme, and Kano Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to raise the operational bar.

The post How NDLEA intercepts Chinese grandma with 31.0Kg of drug consignment at Lagos airport appeared first on Business Today NG.

The operation, carried out jointly by the Special Protection Unit and divisional detectives, led to the arrest of several suspects, including the alleged kingpin, 41-year-old Eke Henry Ifeanyi.

Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, Olohundare Jimoh, disclosed that the suspects had been under surveillance for months before the raid on May 19th 2026.

He further revealed that the prime suspect allegedly offered a ₦500 million bribe to officers in a desperate attempt to stop the operation, but the offer was rejected and documented immediately.

The police say the success of the operation reflects the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu’s intelligence-driven and grassroots policing strategy focused on professionalism, integrity, and rapid response.

Exhibits recovered from the apartment have been documented for prosecution, while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug network.

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This oversight body declared that these proposed strategic directives are now available for comprehensive sector review, requesting feedback from market participants by late June ahead of an open forum scheduled for early July.

NCC anticipated structure defines the specific roles and duties shared between virtual providers and their primary infrastructure hosts. Furthermore, the protocol addresses key areas such as permit requirements, linking systems, regulatory adherence, phone digit allocation, digital and physical chip oversight, along with infrastructure sharing deals.

The primary objective of this blueprint is to guarantee equitable utilization of cellular hardware while minimizing onboarding bottlenecks for new virtual firms. Additionally, the text covers standards regarding performance excellence, buyer safeguards, system stability, digital defense mechanisms, and user privacy.

The governing body warned that non-compliance with these mandates could result in punitive fines and remedial measures under established sector statutes. The regulatory body anticipates that these lean enterprises will stimulate market dynamics and assist in bringing digital capabilities to isolated or neglected populations.

The nation officially initiated this specific permit structure in 2023, distributing initial authorizations to over two dozen companies for a total cost approaching six billion naira. Since that time, the tally of approved virtual entities has grown to roughly forty, with several firms already launching their consumer offerings.

Recent sector metrics indicate that the nation possessed over 185 million cellular accounts and nearly 154 million web users by March 2026. Yet, even with this expansion, state evaluations suggest that roughly twenty million citizens still remain completely disconnected from the modern electronic landscape.

Analytical updates highlight steep subscription pricing and volatile signal reliability as the major obstacles hindering comprehensive nationwide connectivity. The new regulatory framework ultimately hopes to mitigate these challenges by leveraging virtual operators to create a more affordable and resilient digital ecosystem.

The post Nigeria Issues New Operational Guidelines for Mobile Virtual Network Operators appeared first on Business Today NG.

NIMC DG/CEO, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, represented by the Head of Infrastructure Technology and Identity Databases (IT/IDD), Mr. Sulaiman Falade, at a digital conference themed “Building Africa’s Digital Foundations Together” in Abuja, stated that NIMC is driving Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) through strategic reforms, institutional collaboration, and the deployment of secure digital identity systems that support efficient service delivery for citizens and residents.

She emphasised that central to the DPI transformation is the National Identification Number (NIN), which has become a critical enabler for digital authentication, identity verification, and access to government and private sector services. “In line with the Presidential Directive issued on April 5, 2024, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have been mandated to ensure the effective use of the NIN in driving policies related to data capture, identity verification, and biometric authentication across all digital services. NIMC has put in place structures to ensure effective implementation,” she added.

Engr. Coker-Odusote further reinforced the Federal Government’s vision of establishing a unified, secure, and interoperable digital identity ecosystem that supports transparency, accountability, and seamless access to services

The DG further stated that as part of Nigeria’s broader DPI framework, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) continues to play a leading role in enabling digital governance and supporting national development objectives. Through the integration of digital identity systems and the deployment of the National Public Key Infrastructure (nPKI), Nigeria is strengthening trust in digital transactions, protecting citizens’ data, and promoting secure online interactions.

She encourages stakeholders across the public and private sectors to continue supporting the implementation of Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and related initiatives designed to improve service delivery outcomes for all Nigerians. She reiterates that NIMC, as the driver of the DPI, remains committed to leveraging technology, innovation, and secure digital systems to build a more connected, efficient, and resilient nation.

The post How NIMC is Driving Governance and National Security Through DPI Ecosystem appeared first on Business Today NG.

BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—Oduh Sunday of NEM Insurance Plc, yesterday emerged victorious in the 2026/2027 Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria Ambassador Competition, receiving a cash reward of N1.5 million and earning the title of the insurance industry’s newest ambassador.

The competition formed part of the major attractions at the grand finale of the CIIN Insurance Week and also represented one of the final official engagements of the institute’s current president, Yetunde Ilori.

Mr. Eddie Efekoha; Mr. Edwin Igbiti and Mrs. Yetunde Ilori.

Held from Friday, May 15 to Friday, May 22, 2026, the CIIN Insurance Week 2026 featured an extensive eight-day schedule focused on public interaction, professional discussions, learning activities, and celebrations within the insurance sector.

The Ambassador Competition evaluated contestants based on their understanding of the insurance profession as well as their capacity to carry out awareness initiatives.

Noor Takaful Insurance Limited staff, Okunnu Abdulrasheed Adekunle secured the first runner-up position and received N1 million, while another staff member of the same company, Ms. Odeniyan Oluwatosin Comfort, claimed the second runner-up spot with a cash award of N750,000.

In additional award categories presented during the event, the Police Service Commission was recognised as the Best Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA). Akunyili Samuel Chukwukadibia was honoured as the Best Insurance Student in the WAEC examination.

The award-winning student’s teacher, Mr. Awotoruvie Randy Kemi, also received recognition, while six secondary schools with outstanding student enrollment in insurance studies were celebrated.

The schools honoured included Ijaiye Ojokoro Senior High School, Badagry Senior Grammar School, Saint Peter’s College, Egba High School, Methodist Comprehensive College, and Ebenezer Grammar School.

Ogun State also received recognition as the state with the highest number of students enrolled for insurance studies in WAEC examinations.

Earlier in the programme, the InsurScenario Team emerged as champions of the 2026 CIIN InsurQuest Hackathon, defeating other competing teams including CoverBot, Mediclaim AI, Team Topsborg, Team Nexus, and The Risk Architects.

Now in its second edition, the hackathon attracted a broader mix of young innovators from across Nigeria and was designed to strengthen youth participation in the insurance sector while encouraging future insurance innovators.

The initiative exposed participants to practical industry problems and demonstrated how insurance can drive innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and social impact. Over several weeks, contestants participated in masterclasses, hands-on workshops, and mentoring sessions aimed at building technology-based solutions for challenges affecting Nigeria’s insurance industry.

Supported by experienced professionals, the teams explored areas such as Inclusive Insurance, Data and Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience, as well as ESG and Sustainability, while developing working prototypes suitable for pilot implementation.

All teams presented their projects during the InsurQuest Demo Day held on May 21, 2026, at the College of Insurance and Financial Management, where the InsurScenario Team finished in first place.

Speaking during the grand finale and award presentation, CIIN president Yetunde Ilori described the programme as her final appearance at the event in her capacity as president. She explained that the Insurance Week was created to bring together all segments of the insurance industry, improve public participation, encourage professional conversations, and promote insurance education and awareness.

According to her, the event, now in its second year, has become one of the strongest collective initiatives by Nigeria’s insurance industry to improve public understanding, boost insurance adoption, and recognise excellence within the sector.

She urged her successor to sustain and build upon the initiative, expressing confidence that the annual programme could further strengthen insurance acceptance and operations in Nigeria, with the aim of increasing industry penetration beyond one percent in the near future.

The post NEM Insurance Staff Oduh Sunday Clinches 2026/2027 CIIN Ambassador Title appeared first on Business Today NG.

The ANPA Carolinas Symposium, hosted annually by the South Carolina and North Carolina Chapters of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), convenes over 170 physicians and healthcare professionals for medical and scientific dialogue on issues impacting communities across North America, the Caribbean, and Africa, particularly among people of Nigerian descent.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Head of Diaspora Banking, Anant Rao, made a compelling case for structured diaspora participation in Nigeria’s healthcare transformation, encouraging attendees to expand their contribution beyond remittances toward long-term institution-building.

“The financial infrastructure required to connect your success abroad to sustainable institutional impact at home has not been intentionally designed for diaspora healthcare investors until now,” Rao said.

During his presentation, Rao introduced the ANPA–UBA Diaspora Healthcare Investment Platform — a professionally managed investment vehicle designed to channel diaspora capital into specialist hospitals, diagnostic centres, telemedicine infrastructure, and medical training institutions across Nigeria.

“Every dollar invested delivers a dual return — creating value for investors while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s healthcare future. We now have the regulatory framework, banking infrastructure, governance structures, and institutional commitment to make this possible,” he added.

Under the proposed structure, UBA will serve as custodian and structuring bank, while United Capital Asset Management, one of Nigeria’s leading asset managers with over ₦1.2 trillion in assets under management, will act as fund manager.

As part of deepening engagement with the Nigerian-American medical community, Rao also proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UBA and the two ANPA chapters. The proposed collaboration is anchored on six strategic pillars: preferred banking offerings for ANPA members; quarterly financial education sessions; the joint Healthcare Infrastructure Fund; a dedicated ANPA Wealth and Legacy Desk; access to group-rate family healthcare plans through Avon HMO; and a UBA co-matching contribution framework to support qualifying impact vehicles under the Pearl Endowment Fund.

The initiative represents a further expansion of UBA’s diaspora value proposition, which currently includes Non-Resident Nigerian (NRN) accounts in multiple currencies, fixed-income and dollar-denominated investment solutions through United Capital, elder-care trust solutions under the Homeland Anchor Care Trust programme in partnership with Avon HMO, and private wealth management offerings tailored to senior diaspora professionals.

The 2026 ANPA Carolinas Symposium marks another milestone in UBA’s strategic engagement with the diaspora community and reinforces the Bank’s long-held belief that diaspora capital can play a transformative role in accelerating healthcare and infrastructure development across Africa.

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Founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, has urged campus journalists to remain committed to journalism, describing the profession as one of the most fulfilling careers despite its challenges.

Soyombo spoke on Friday during the second edition of the National Wire Campus Business Journalism Awards, where he encouraged students to see campus journalism as an important foundation for future success.

Addressing participants virtually at the event moderated by Blessing Oladunjoye, the award-winning investigative journalist said students already involved in campus journalism possess an advantage over many aspiring journalists who only begin their careers after graduation.

“Every young campus journalist on this call is already in the best place possible,” Soyombo said. “Starting journalism from the campus gives you a head start. Even if others appear more brilliant, they will discover later that you are already ahead because of the experience you gained early.”

He noted that while journalism may not always provide the highest financial reward, it offers rare opportunities for impact and fulfilment.

“There are jobs that may pay more money, but few careers give the level of fulfilment journalism offers. Journalism gives you the opportunity to influence society and hold power accountable,” he said.

Soyombo stressed that integrity remains the most important quality for journalists, above eloquence or mastery of language.

“Journalism is not just about diction or grammar. The greatest asset a journalist can have is integrity. If you practise journalism honestly and put public interest above personal gain, you will not only succeed professionally, you will also be fulfilled personally,” he stated.

He congratulated the winners and encouraged participants who did not win to continue improving themselves, noting that learning to cope with setbacks is part of growth.

Earlier, Chairman of the Awards and News Editor of National Wire, Dayo Emmanuel, reflected on the ten-year journey of the online publication and the vision behind the establishment of the National Wire Campus Business Journalism Awards.

According to him, National Wire was founded by a group of journalists who previously worked at Newswatch Times and wanted to build a credible media platform with strong focus on business and financial journalism.

Emmanuel said the initiative to organise the awards emerged from concerns about grooming the next generation of business journalists in Nigeria.

“We asked ourselves who was preparing the next generation of business reporters, and that question gave birth to this award,” he said.

He explained that the organisers rejected the notion that campus journalists could not report business stories effectively.

“Business exists everywhere. Students pay school fees, buy food, pay transport fares and manage daily economic realities. Campuses themselves are miniature economies,” he stated.

He also said that the competition was designed not merely to reward winners but to stimulate interest in business and development reporting among students across disciplines.

Emmanuel noted that entries for the second edition came from several institutions, including
Usmanu Danfodiyo University,
Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan ane Olabisi Onabanjo University.

He also appreciated members of the judging panel, led by Seun Akioye, alongside Ishaya Ibrahim of TheNiche newspaper and Ugonma Cokey of the Voice of Nigeria, for ensuring credibility and fairness in the selection process.

Emmanuel further acknowledged the contributions of supporters and sponsors, including Manifold Media, Tayo Olanipekun and media professionals who sustained the vision behind the awards.

Chairman of the Panel of Judges, Seun Akioye, commended participants for the quality of entries submitted and encouraged them to remain committed to journalism regardless of the outcome of the competition.

Akioye said many of the stories submitted reflected the qualities highlighted by Soyombo, particularly integrity and commitment to public interest reporting.

“Submitting an entry alone shows that you already possess the potential to become successful journalists,” he said.

Drawing examples from successful former campus journalists, Akioye mentioned Kemi Busari of Dubawa as one of several journalists who started from campus journalism and later built remarkable careers.

He assured participants that mentorship opportunities remain available to help them grow professionally.

“We are here to guide and support you. Journalism has taken many people to places they never imagined, and many respected editors and reporters today started as campus journalists,” he said.

Akioye also encouraged students to recruit more writers into campus journalism to strengthen the future of the profession.

Editor of National Wire, Friday Ekeoba, also charged participants to pursue excellence and integrity in reporting.

According to him, business journalism requires discipline, accuracy and the ability to connect data with human realities.

“Business stories are not just about profit and loss. Behind every policy and economic decision are real people whose lives are affected,” Ekeoba said.

He urged campus journalists to prioritise accuracy over speed, especially in the age of social media, stressing that credibility remains the most valuable asset for journalists.

Ekeoba also advised students to begin developing expertise in financial and economic reporting early by reading annual reports, budgets and policy documents while still on campus.

“Build your expertise now. Understand economic issues early and learn how to interpret figures and documents responsibly,” he said.

Announcing winners in the Best Campus Business Story category, member of the judging panel, Ugonma Cokey, praised all participants for their efforts and resilience.

Cokey announced Matthew Ogunwale, a 400 level Education and English Language student at the Obafemi Awolowo University as the second runner-up for his story on student housing, while Jimoh Abdulrasheed Olokoto, a 300 level Law student at the University of Ibadan emerged first runner-up with a story titled “The Business of Survival.”

The overall winner of the category was Rasheedat Adedamola Abidiesin for her entry titled “Inside World of Small Business.”

Cokey noted that the winning entries demonstrated that journalism excellence is not restricted to Mass Communication students.

She observed that Abidiesin is a 200-level Law student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, while other top contestants also came from disciplines such as Law, Education and English Language.

“It shows students can excel in journalism regardless of their academic discipline if they are passionate about writing and storytelling,” she said.

Another member of the panel, Ishaya Ibrahim, later announced ACJOAU as winner of the Best Campus Journal category.

Ibrahim described the judging process as rigorous due to the quality of entries received and advised participants not to be discouraged by defeat.

“When you do not win, it gives you an opportunity to improve,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the winners, Matthew Ogunwale, a student of Education and English Language at the Obafemi Awolowo University appreciated the organisers for sustaining initiatives that promote campus journalism and encourage young writers.

Also speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Media Career Development Network, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, commended the organisers for investing in the future of journalism.

Otufodunrin expressed optimism that the initiative would help nurture a new generation of journalists capable of sustaining professional standards in the Nigerian media industry.

“We are glad to see a new generation willing to take up the profession, and we commend the organisers for creating this platform,” he said.

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Chairman of the agency, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), on Wednesday announced the major drug bust following a massive operation spanning weeks of intelligence gathering and meticulous planning by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with international partners.

President Tinubu remarks: “This successful operation, which led to the arrest of foreign nationals, local kingpins and other collaborators, as well as the seizure of chemicals and illicit drugs valued at over $360 million, demonstrates exceptional professionalism, courage, and unwavering commitment to safeguarding society from the devastating effects of narcotics.”

“I commend the bravery, resilience, and dedication displayed by operatives of the NDLEA throughout this mission. I urge them not to be complacent in confronting the menace of drug trafficking.

“West Africa has become a great concern in the global war against narcotics as drug barons turn our region into a transit hub for moving cocaine, synthetic drugs and unregulated pharmaceuticals to Europe and North America.

“Drugs not only pose a critical security threat for our region, but they also pose a grave danger to the future of our youth, some of whom have become victims of the trade.

“I  call on all Nigerians to see the fight against illicit drugs not NDLEA’s alone. Everyone has a role to play. We must remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities within our communities to assist security agencies in combating criminal networks.

“This landmark success is a strong message that our security agencies will not tolerate organised crime and criminality anywhere in the country, and that those who threaten public safety and national security will face the wrath of the law.”

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