Business

NCAA reacts to flight cancellations says airline has 14days to refund passengers

N46bn debt: NCAA threatens to withdraw airlines’ licences

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reiterated that airline passengers are entitled to ticket refunds within 14 days of flight cancellation, in accordance with its consumer protection regulations.

Speaking on Channels Television NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, emphasised that the regulatory body is committed to safeguarding passenger rights.

“For refund of tickets not purchased by cash, an airline has 14 days to pay,” Achimugu said. “If the airline fails to process within the stipulated timeframe, sanctions will follow.”

The reminder comes amid growing public complaints over frequent flight delays and cancellations.

While acknowledging the volume of complaints, Achimugu clarified that not all disruptions are the airline’s fault.

“Air Peace operates more flights than probably all other domestic airlines combined,” he noted. “Naturally, their disruption rate is higher. However, the NCAA has a duty to hold them accountable where they are at fault.”

Achimugu added that the NCAA has advised operators to cut down on routes when aircraft availability is limited, rather than overselling tickets for flights they may not be able to honour.

“If you are operating five aircraft and two develop faults, then you must reduce the number of flights for that day,” he said. “Do not sell tickets to destinations you might not fly.”

He warned that airlines failing to adjust their operations accordingly or repeatedly breaching consumer protection regulations would face stiffer penalties this year.

On Friday, the NCAA summoned Air Peace over its chronic delays and cancellations that have continued to inconvenience passengers.

A statement issued by Achimugu confirmed that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Captain Chris Najomo, met with Air Peace’s senior management at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

“The NCAA has received several complaints of chronic flight cancellations and delays. This must be addressed without delay,” Najomo said. “We will continue to support the airlines, but operators must comply with regulations and global best practices.”

The DGCA advised Air Peace to align its operations with its available fleet to avoid further service disruptions. He also warned that the NCAA would intensify surveillance across Nigerian airlines to enforce compliance.

Air Peace, in its reaction, defended its operational decisions, stressing that safety—not profit—remains its priority.

“At Air Peace, safety is and will always remain our cardinal priority,” the airline stated. “We do not cancel flights for fun. These delays and cancellations are dictated by safety considerations.”

While acknowledging passengers’ frustrations, the airline said it would rather inconvenience passengers than compromise safety.

“If weather conditions, technical parameters, or operational standards fall short of what is safe, we will not operate that flight,” it said.

Air Peace further clarified that it has more aircraft than required for its daily operations, refuting the NCAA’s suggestion that it is overstretching its resources.

To streamline the handling of consumer complaints, the NCAA has introduced a centralised Passenger Information Portal aimed at addressing issues related to flight delays, cancellations, and other service lapses.

“We onboarded all domestic and international airlines and our Consumer Protection Officers at airport terminals onto the portal,” Achimugu explained. “Passengers can submit complaints directly, which are then forwarded to the relevant airlines.”

He said the portal provides real-time tracking of complaint resolution progress, including the number of cases resolved, pending, or delayed.

“The system ensures that as soon as a complaint is submitted, the countdown for resolution begins. This has made enforcement and monitoring more effective,” he added.

Business

FG unveils N10m excellence award for tax reform reporting

The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee has announced the unveiling of the Excellence in Tax Reform Reporting Award to honour journalists and digital influencers who demonstrate accuracy, balance, and impact in covering Nigeria’s ongoing tax reforms.

The announcement was made via X on Tuesday by the chairman of the committee, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele.

Oyedele said that the initiative aims to promote constructive public discourse, counter misinformation, and support journalism that helps citizens better understand and trust fiscal reforms.

According to him, the award is open to Nigerian journalists across print, broadcast, and online platforms, as well as digital influencers, bloggers, and podcasters.

‘The award seeks to strengthen constructive public discourse, counter misinformation, and elevate journalism that explains reforms in ways citizens can trust and understand’, Oyedele added.

He explained that entries must consist of published works between 1 July and 31 December, 2025, in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba.

On the award structure, Oyedele said prizes include ₦10 million for the overall winner, ₦5 million for the second-place winner, ₦3 million for the third-place winner, and consolation prizes for the top 20 finalists.

He added that entries will be judged based on accuracy, balance, clarity, public engagement, and creativity.

‘T𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲, applications will open via the official portal http://fiscalreforms.ng by 31 December 2025′, the statement stated.

The initiative aligns with the committee’s broader efforts to harmonise multiple taxes and levies into a simplified, broad-based system.

Business

Dangote Refinery to expand capacity to 1.4m barrels daily

Africa’s largest refinery, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is set for a historic expansion that will increase its production capacity from 650,000 barrels per day (BPD) to 1.4 million BPD within the next three years.

When completed, the expansion will make the refinery the largest in the world, marking a major leap toward energy independence for Nigeria and Africa.

The President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Ltd., Alhaji Aliko Dangote, announced the plan on Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, the step reflects faith in Nigeria’s potential.

“This expansion reflects our confidence in Nigeria’s future, our belief in Africa’s potential, and our commitment to building energy independence for our continent and the world.

“It is about confidence in Nigeria, in Africa, and in our capacity to shape our own energy future,” Dangote noted.

Dangote explained that the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of making Nigeria a global supplier of petroleum products.

He commended the President for supportive initiatives such as the Nigeria First Policy, Naira-for-Crude Policy, and the creation of a one-stop shop for investors, which have spurred industrial growth and strengthened investor confidence.

Dangote said the expansion would meet rising regional demand, cut dependence on fuel imports, save billions in foreign exchange, and boost Nigeria’s energy security.

He revealed that the construction of the new facilities would employ over 65,000 workers, creating opportunities across local industries and building Africa’s technical capacity for large-scale infrastructure.

The business mogul also disclosed plans to increase polypropylene production from 900,000 metric tonnes to 2.4 million metric tonnes per annum, boosting local supply of industrial inputs such as linear alkylbenzene, for detergent production, and base oils.

“With this expansion, the refinery will transition from producing Euro V to Euro VI fuel standards, meeting the highest global environmental benchmarks.

“It will also expand our power generation capacity, ensuring full operational self-sufficiency.”

He said more than 85 per cent of the refinery’s workforce are Nigerians, with ongoing investments in skills development, safety, sustainability, and technology transfer.

“We remain committed to safety, sustainability, and local participation at every stage of this expansion.

“Our goal has never been just to refine oil, but to refine opportunities for our people,” he added.

Dangote also announced plans to list the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex on the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. within the next year, a move aimed at promoting broad ownership and transparency.

“Our long-term goal is to build Africa’s leading integrated energy and petrochemical hub, the first of its kind on the continent,” he said.

Dangote also assured Nigerians of steady fuel supply during the festive period, in spite of of the recent global oil price increases.

“As we approach the end of the year, Nigerians often face fuel shortages and price hikes.

“I want to assure everyone that the Dangote Refinery is fully committed to maintaining uninterrupted supply throughout the festive season.

“For the first time in many years, Nigerians can look forward to a festive season free of fuel anxiety.” he explained.

He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, the Federal and Lagos State Governments, the refinery’s host community in Lekki, financial partners, and the company’s dedicated workforce for their support.

“This expansion is not just about increasing capacity, it’s about confidence in our people, our country, and our continent.

“Together, we are building a stronger Nigeria and redefining what is possible for Africa,” he said.

Dangote also urged other refinery license holders to collaborate in achieving the government’s goal of making Nigeria Africa’s refining hub.

“When Africa builds its own capacity, it builds its own destiny,” he said. (NAN)

Business

Nigerian petrol marketers to dump Dangote Refinery for cheaper imported fuel

Nigerian petroleum product marketers have announced plans to abandon Dangote Refinery’s petrol in favour of cheaper imported fuel.

The spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, disclosed this to DAILY POST on Friday.

This follows the drop in the landing cost of imported fuel to N839.97 per litre, which is N37 cheaper than Dangote Refinery’s gantry petrol price of N877 per litre.

Commenting on the development, Ukadike hinted that petroleum marketers would opt for imported fuel to enable Nigerians to access cheaper petrol.

He noted that the price disparity was a result of the liberalisation and deregulation of the country’s downstream sector.

“It is due to the liberalisation of the sector, which has set the tune for a price war. Marketers now have the option to buy either at N877 per litre with Dangote Refinery or N839 with MEMAN.
“The concern here is why would a local refinery (Dangote) sell petrol higher than imported ones?
“As petroleum product marketers, Nigerians are interested in buying petrol that is cheaper. When we have cheaper fuel, it sells faster,”

The ongoing price war among operators in the sector may lead to a reduction in the current retail price in the coming days.

It will be recalled that recent data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, showed that Nigerians consumed 613.6 million litres of petrol between 2024 and October 10, 2025.

Earlier, marketers had complained about the non-supply of petrol by Dangote Refinery despite having paid billions to the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility.

An earlier report also indicated that Dangote Refinery has been experiencing a supply setback, resulting in a nationwide petrol shortage.