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Tag: Muyiwa Lucas

  • Asharami Synergy leads aviation fuel market with 20% share

    Asharami Synergy leads aviation fuel market with 20% share

    • Lauds IATA’s sustainability efforts

    Asharami Synergy Limited, a Sahara Group downstream company in Nigeria, has attributed its performance in the aviation fuel market to the firm’s commitment to safety, technology driven solutions and environmental sustainability.

    Speaking in Vienna, Austria, at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Aviation Energy Forum, Head, Downstream Africa, Sahara Group, Foluso Sobanjo, said Asharami Synergy had a pedigree of exceptional performance in the market that spans two decades in Nigeria. Aviation fuel is also known as Jet A1.

    “Asharami Synergy is the leading aviation fuel supplier in Nigeria with over 20 per cent of the market share. We have several certifications from the International Organisation for Standardisation in recognition of our commitment to excellence, quality, and safety. With current storage capacity of about 31 million litres owned and operated by Asharami across the nation, a fleet of 20 bowsers, and ongoing plans for capacity expansion, we keep innovating to deliver outstanding Jet A1 solutions,” he said.

    According to Sobanjo, Asharami Synergy offers solutions that resonate with the operations of local and international airlines in Nigeria. “Our distinctive mark of excellence and safety make Asharami the responsible provider of choice for aviation fuel in the Nigerian market,” he said. Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Office, Asharami Synergy, Nomnso Dike, said the company had been strategic partners with IATA since 2009, adding that Asharami’s diversified product supply chain facilitates availability and competitive pricing in the market.

    Read Also; Asharami Synergy recommits to cleaner energy

    “We are constantly investing in technology to drive efficiency in our business hence the adoption of the i6 solution that increases efficiency through digitalised tracking of our into-plane fueling operations, whilst also helping to reduce CO2 emissions. In addition, our dashboard tracks and analyses our customers’ consumption patterns, thereby enabling us to forecast demand accurately and ensure consistent product availability to meet all our supply obligations. This ensures our customers can rely on Asharami for responsible and seamless supply,” he stated.

    Sobanjo commended IATA for leading the charge towards sustainability in the sector as all stakeholders continue to work towards enhancing safety and reducing emissions.

    On growth factors for the Nigerian market, Sobanjo said the sector would benefit from adequate refining capacity, Forex stability, cheaper sources of funds and infrastructure development.

    He noted that achieving stability in the FX market would impact the Jet fuel market positively by reducing product cost, solving the liquidity issues facing the airlines and help with the repatriation of the investment made by foreign airlines which would spur further investments.

    “Suppliers need to be able to access credit at the right price as this would help to facilitate investments in essential infrastructure like tank farms, bowsers, and trucks. This would enhance operational capabilities and logistical efficiency, thereby supporting long-term growth and healthy competitiveness in the sector,” he stated.

    Sobanjo also called for investment in infrastructure through sundry Public-Private Partnerships and collaboration among all stakeholders, including IATA, airlines, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, petroleum marketers, to drive sustainable regulation, growth, and development of the sector.

  • “We have projected IIBC beyond coastal erosion”

    “We have projected IIBC beyond coastal erosion”

    Land reclamation is now on the rise, especially in coastal cities. But the threat posed by climate change, coastal development is now a source of concern to stakeholders in the environment sector. The managing director of ChannelDrill Resources Limited, Mr. Olufemi Akioye, whose firm recently commenced reclamation of a 200 hectare on the Lekki lagoon for development of Imperial International Business City, however allays fears of safety of development on land reclaimed from the lagoon. Akioye spoke with select media houses. MUYIWA LUCAS was there. Excerpts:
     
    Weather events of the past few weeks such as flooding, hurricane and earthquakes have been frightening and there are concerns especially for coastal developments. What are your fears as a developer?
    My fears is not that of coastal developers alone, but a global problem that is now our reality. Bringing it back, home developers must spend money on research because investments in bricks and mortal is a long term investment and people that make these investment wants to give it as an inheritance to their children, so what sort of developer will we be if in 10 years our developments start having serious problems and investors start taking us to court.
    Unfortunately the major reasons for the floods we have experienced recently is more of man-made than that of a natural occurrence and we have refused to take responsibility for that. By man-made I mean the way we block our drainage and canals with dirt’s and waste.  At Chaneldrill, we have no fear whatsoever for our coastal development because we have spent a lot of time, energy and money to engage one of the best marine consultants in the world and we know what is going to happened within our coastal lines for the next 75 years. Our developments are designed to make sure that it is not affected negatively by these unavoidable future occurrence.  It’s a mazing that when we stared people said we are doing too know, now they have seen a glimpse of what is coming.
     
    There are no doubts any longer that climate change is real. How much precaution are you taking on your new city development?
    The issue of climate change is more real than people think, it is also not a European, Asia or an American problem, it is a global issue. The lagoon water level will rise by almost two metres in the next 15-20 years- this is the reality and the government can’t stop it because it is due to the thermal expansion caused by warming of the ocean, since water expands as it warms and increased melting of land-based ice, such as glaciers and ice sheets.
    Do you know that Lagos state actually commissioned an Associate Professor from Hydraulics Research Institute, Egypt “Ahmed Sayed Mohamed Ahmed” to do a hydrodynamic modelling of Lagos and Lekki lagoons? This means that even the state is taking steps to make sure Lagos is way ahead of it and they have shown that they are taking this global threat seriously; an example of that is the new Freedom Road in Lekki that was just finished, and you can see that it is well above all the developments around it.
    So, we, as developers of the Imperial International Business City (IIBC), have taking the best precaution that can be taken based on the recommendation of our marine consultants, Messer Royal HaskoningDHV of Holland and they are one of the best the in world.  They have recommended that because of the inescapable global sea level rise that will continue to rise Imperial International Business City (IIBC) must be reclaimed at 3.5m above sea level and that is exactly what we are doing. So after a life time settlement of the reclamation IIBC will still stand at about 2.9 above sea level. Therefore investors and future land owners of IIBC can be rest assured that their investment is safe. We call it IIBC 75 years flood free strategy and I can assure you that out of all other developments along the Lagos coastal line, at least the ones that we have seen, it is only IIBC and another one on the ocean that can guarantee this safety.
     
    There are fears that the effect of dredging or sand filling in a place has negative impact on other places. To what extent is this true?
    This can only be true if it is not done properly or if it is done without any form of regulation. The present Lagos State administration has regulated all forms of sand taking from dredging to reclamation/sandfilling to sand stock piling. Do you know that you must now do an Environmental Impact Assessment and it must be approved by the Lagos State Government before you can take a grain of sand for stock piling in Lagos State?
    The last administration started the regulations and this present government has taking it to another level. Do you know that people that use to just take sand around Badore and Co are no longer there? In fact it is now so regulated that you can only use some particular type of dredger in some areas. Do you also know that over 60 per cent of the world/ cities that people dwell all around the world are reclaimed? Reclamation n Lagos is well regulated so there is nothing to be scared of.
     
    Your project, the IIBC is one of the coastal developments that are just coming up. What assurance do you have for investors that their investment will be safe?
    IIBC is being reclaimed at over three meters above sea level and we have the best team of global consultants that has ever worked together on any project in Africa. Our reclamation level guarantees investors a 75 years flood free city and all our consultants our top 20 global rating. When our marine consultants said our reclamation height must be above 3meter, I said no way because like most developers I was looking at the cost and how much we will have to sell the land and if the public will be able to pay and also at our return on investment (ROI).
    But they said if we don’t accept their recommendations they will ask that we terminate the contract because when the flood comes and it will come, they don’t want their company name to be associated with such bad image. All the remaining consultants said the same thing. So these world class firms that we have engaged care more about the name and reputation of their firms than money and we are all determined to do the right thing. That is the IIBC quality assurance 
     
    Analysts are saying that these events like the flooding that happened in some parts of Lagos on June 8 this year will have negative impact on property prices. What are your thoughts on this?
    The impact will be negative to some property prices and positive to others. Developments that are at least three metres above sea level will enjoy positive impact while others below that might not. Personally, I will advise any one that is building anywhere within the Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and most especially within the lekki axis to make sure that their foundation is at least 2.5-3m above sea level and if it is a reclamation project, it must be about that same height, unless we want to start having 10-15meters underground drainage like Japan or have an automatic pumping stations at designated area within estates; these pumping stations pumps water to canals that leads to the lagoon or the ocean. That’s the Dutch model and they are well below sea level. Personally, I think that the last June 8 incident is a wakeup call and we must all do the needful; we the citizens have a lot to do, all hands must be on deck for these one. We have to stop dumping dirt in our canals and drainages- that is not the fault of government, it’s something we must do.   
     
     
    Why should an investor put his money in IIBC and not in the other developments; what different propositions are you making?
    One of our major selling point is our reclamation height, IIBC is also going to be an eco-friendly  self-sustaining smart city; we have the best consultants ever assembled to work on any project in Africa. As I said earlier, no other project in Africa has a better team than us. We didn’t do this because we just want to have the bragging right, even though we do have that; we did it because we want this consultants that has worked on such smart and green cities like Mazda City  in AbuDhabi;  Songdo Business  City  in  South Korea; among others to come  and  do the same in Lagos. We have enjoyed unbelievable help and encouragement from the Lagos state Government. Rest assured in the next few years IIBC will be the bench mark for future city development in Africa, universities will use IIBC as a case studies. Actually my job was made easy because I have the best principal ever, someone who is ready to have a thin profit margin If that’s  what it takes to fulfill his vison, that is  Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi and as if that wasn’t enough am also lucky to have a chairman that understand the place of posterity- Mr Emeka Ndu. So IIBC is the real deal.
  • 75 Nigerians vie for LafargeHolcim awards for sustainable construction

    75 Nigerians vie for LafargeHolcim awards for sustainable construction

    Seventy-five Nigerians (students and professionals) are part of the finalists joining hundreds of their colleagues from the Middle East and Africa for the LafargeHolcim regional awards for Sustainable Construction in Nairobi, Kenya this week.

    Organized by the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, it is the most significant global competition in sustainable design.

    “We are excited Nigeria is taking part for the first time as a country and with the impressive turnout of entrants. Even more, Nigeria is home to some of Africa’s fastest growing cities and the competition will promote sustainable projects and concepts the country needs to urgently address its peculiar challenges of urbanization.”, says Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Director Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development at Lafarge Africa Plc.

    The combined population of Nigeria’s fastest growing cities: Abuja, Benin City, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Onitsha and Port Harcourt is expected to swell to 54m by 2030, according to UN Habitat. This edition of the competition is seeking smart and sustainable construction solutions for cities.

    LafargeHolcim’s sponsorship of the awards over the years validates its commitment to sustainability, innovation and architectural excellence. This is a corporate social responsibility initiative geared to ensure that the world builds better.

    All entries from the fields of architecture, urban design and planning, and civil engineering are judged based on the target issues for sustainable construction: Progress, People, Planet, Prosperity and Place.

    Regional winners in the three categories (Main, Next Generation and Focus) will be awarded a total of USD 330,000. In all USD 2 million in prize money is awarded in each three-year cycle.

    The LafargeHolcim Awards is open to students, architects, planners, engineers, project owners, builders and construction firms in 90 countries where the LafargeHolcim Group operates.

  • Road safety: Lafarge Africa employs community road marshals

    Road safety: Lafarge Africa employs community road marshals

    As Lafarge Africa Plc continues to promote Safety in its operations and beyond, the building solutions company has facilitated the training and employment of about 16 youths in parts of Cross River state to work as community road marshals in two local government areas in the state.

    Addressing newsmen, the company’s Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem said the Road Safety Awareness Campaign was part of the company’s corporate social investments in the area of safety.

    Lafarge Logistics Director, Bruno Hounkpati whose team put the entire Safety campaign together said the objective of the campaign is to increase safety consciousness and encourage the involvement of regular residents in road safety management in the state.

    Mr Hounkpati said the company was in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) in the state to facilitate the safety awareness campaign in the area. “Lafarge Africa will pay the wages of all the newly recruited community road marshals,” he added.

    The Community Road Marshals will serve as first respondents to issues pertaining to road challenges and also give traffic directions to trucks and other road users. They will also facilitate timely dissemination of information and quicken the response time when there are emergency incidents on the road.

    The road safety awareness campaign involves educating and training all road users on the safe use of roads including how to interpret roads signs either as a motorist, motorcyclist or pedestrians. Over 250 Community members including motorcycle riders popularly called Okada have benefited from the awareness programme.

    All the Okada riders received crash helmets and reflective vest from Lafarge Africa Plc to enhance their safety on the road at any time of the day.

    The benefitting communities are Akpabuyo and Akamkpa local government areas.

  • Multinationals failing to prevent third party bribery, corruption – Hogan Lovells

    Multinationals failing to prevent third party bribery, corruption – Hogan Lovells

    Generally, risk and other issues of bribery and corruption are often automatically attributed to corruption within governments or by officials.
    However a recent report by global law firm, Hogan Lovells, has identified the use of third parties as the second biggest bribery and corruption risk in most countries.
    The report which focused on countries in Europe, Asia and the U.S revealed that nearly half (49 per cent) of multinationals are failing to carry out basic bribery and corruption checks on third party contractors before starting to work with them.
    It was further discovered that 47 per cent of respondents are failing to carry out desktop due diligence; 44 per cent don’t ask third parties to complete a questionnaire, and the same proportion fail to conduct face to face interviews with third parties.
    Titled: “Steering the Course: Navigating third party bribery and corruption risk,” the report found that the use of third parties is on the rise with 82 per cent of survey respondents noting an increase in the past three years and 78 per cent anticipating an increase in the coming year.
    The results of the 2016 report follow interviews with 604 chief compliance officers, heads of legal, based in the UK, U.S., Asia, France and Germany, at many of the world’s largest multinational companies in four sectors – energy, minerals and resources; life sciences and healthcare; transport (including automotive and aviation); and technology, media and telecommunications, with a minimum of 2,000 employees and at least £250m turnover, and operated in four sectors: life sciences and pharmaceuticals (124); energy, minerals and resources (138); transport, including aviation and automotive (152); and technology, media and telecoms (190), Crispin Rapinet, Global Head of Investigations, White Collar and Fraud at Hogan Lovells, said:

    [quote color=”#000000″ bgcolor=”#ddbc87″ bcolor=”#dd3333″ arrow=”yes”]

    As companies expand overseas, there are good reasons to engage third parties – local know-how, connections to potential customers, and familiarity with the bureaucratic hurdles.
    “But it’s a fine line to balance the commercial advantages against the risk that third parties pose to your organisation, when they are acting in your name.
    “If you don’t have the right checks in place your company can be held liable if your third party bribes for your benefit. Regulators and enforcement agencies are sharpening their focus and corporates are increasingly facing enforcement actions such as criminal exposure for individuals and the company, and reputational damage.[/quote]
    The report revealed the UK as the weakest region on risk assessment with 50 per cent failing to regularly risk assessing all third parties. On the other hand, the U.S. was strong on several measures, for example in ensuring that third parties undertake training (61 per cent), and in conducting face-to-face interviews.
    Japan was the weakest in terms of requiring their third parties to refresh their anti-bribery and corruption training; 53 per cent answered negatively.
  • ‘Please, help me stay alive,’ man begs Nigerians

    ‘Please, help me stay alive,’ man begs Nigerians

    • Needs N10 million for kidney transplant
    When in September 2015, Mr. Henry Oshogue, felt some form of weakness of the body, his initial assumption was malaria fever. Little did he know that two months down the lane, he would have to struggle for his life at a very high cost.
    According to Oshogue, a welder by profession, after treating malaria and still no improvement, he had to visit the hospital where he was tested and referred to a medical laboratory for further checks.
    But the results of the various tests carried out on him at the Afri-Global laboratory, in Ikeja, Lagos, in November last year, revealed that Oshogue’s kidneys had packed up and no longer functions. This discovery has now left his continued living hanging in the balance.
    Oshogue told The Nation that the ailment has taken a huge toll on his finances as he has to go in for dialysis. He explained that at the Renal Dialysis Center, Ikeja, where he goes for his dialysis, a session of the procedure cost him N45, 000, and he requires three sessions weekly to stay alive.
    “I have exhausted all my resources on the treatment of this ailment. It is only my church, The Father’s House Church, Akute, now assisting me; the others helping me before are tired. Right now, my family and others helping me are tired, so I need this transplant urgently. I am calling on all good Nigerians to come to my aid. Now I am stranded. I need to go for a transplant in India to live,” he explained. Oshogue said the transplant is to be carried out in an Indian hospital called Global Health City, Cheran Nagar, Sholinganallur-Medavakkan Road, Perumbakkam, Chennai, India.
    img-20160618-wa001To actualise his dreams of staying alive, N10 million is needed. This is to cater for the kidney transplant surgery, and a donor, which he has already been found.
    “I already have a donor. But now the N10 million is a challenge for me to raise. I can’t even continue with the dialysis any longer. I was told if did an “access surgery” around my neck, the dialysis will be cheaper, but I can’t even afford that surgery of N150, 000 now. The reason for the access surgery suggestion is that doctors are worried that the continued usage of my femoral vein for the dialysis can weaken the spot prior to the transplant; this can be dangerous, they warned. The dialysis only keeps me for two to three days, but the real solution is a transplant,” Oshogue explained.
    The medical director of Samsteve Hospital, Akute, Ogun State, Dr. Samson Egbunu, who diagonised him, the only solution for Oshogue to live a normal life is for him to have a kidney transplant. Egbunu said the N10 million is a working figure because the final amount could end up being higher due to post transplant expenses. But for now, “let Oshogue just get the N10 million first,” Egbunu said.
    The public can help Oshogue by giving their widow’s mite into this account: Account name: ELVIS ERAGUE ICHUE; Bank: First Bank Plc; account number: 3106088462.
  • TM Gardens bolsters Mainland real estate market

    TM Gardens bolsters Mainland real estate market

    For long, Lagos Island axis has remained the attractive investment destination for estate developers. The import of this is that the Lagos Mainland axis has remained ignored, leading to the dearth of quality estate development in the axis. But this is set to change with the emergence of a new mid-market residential project known as TM Gardens in the pipeline.

    The project, which is currently under construction, is being promoted by Tetramanor Limited, a real estate developer with a focus on the Lagos Mainland and its environs.

    The project, located in the Olaleye New Town area, along the Costain-Iponri axis of Surulere, manages to retain its quietness and residential status. It is also strategically located midway between the Island and Mainland areas.

    TM Gardens, which is planned for delivery within the first quarter of 2017, provides quick access to attractions, basic facilities and amenities. The development features a mix of four units of condominiums; eight units of townhouses; and two units of maisonettes/penthouses. While creating aesthetic designs was of paramount importance, the functionality of the spaces was not sacrificed, and can further be customised in line with homeowners’ tastes.

    The condominiums each have three bedrooms, while the townhouses come with four bedrooms and a maid’s rooms. The showpieces of the development however are the maisonettes/penthouses which have a luxurious master bedroom, a study and a private garden located in the penthouse with beautiful views of the area. All bedrooms in the development are ensuite, while the master bedrooms have walk-in closets. In addition, the kitchens were designed to be very spacious so as to accommodate kitchen islands, and a central garden provides room for community interaction.

    According to the developer’s Business Development Manager, Mr. John Beecroft, construction of TM Gardens commenced in March 2016 after months of planning to ensure that the market needs were well met. He said that his firm spent over three months and huge resources in raising the ground level above that of the road, so that the estate would not be affected by flood.

    “More importantly, the integrity of the buildings is not something we can sacrifice for profit. As such, extensive piling was carried out, with over a hundred piles sunk already at enormous cost. Additionally, construction of the structural frames is in accordance with design standards and the concrete mix was subjected to engineering test by regulatory authorities. These would ensure that the buildings stand strong come what may,” he explained.

    Beecroft stated that the company has put in place flexible payment options to ease the process of acquisition; this is in recognition of the tough economic times.  He further explained that the location, design and pricing of TM Gardens were all chosen to ensure maximum returns on investment for buyers.

    The unit cost for the Condominiums is N33 million; penthouses, N49.5million; and townhouses, N51.5million. Already,  40 percent of the units have been sold out.

  • ‘What keeps BA going in Nigeria for 80 years’

    ‘What keeps BA going in Nigeria for 80 years’

    British Airways (BA) is popular among rich Nigerians who love flying. BA, they believe, has the best possible connection to destinations across the globe. This year, the airline is celebrating 80 years of its operation in Nigeria. A fortnight ago, reporters toured the airline’s facilities in its London head office. Its Head of Sales for Africa, Middle East and Asia Mr. Paolo De Renzis fielded questions during the tour. Assistant Editor MUYIWA LUCAS was there.

    How would you rate your market in West Africa and Nigeria, Middle East and North Africa?

    In Africa, we have a very strong position, particularly in Nigeria. Africa is one of the most important markets to British Airways. South Africa and Nigeria are some of the biggest markets.

    Is there anything specific on the West African routes, especially Nigeria, in terms of new products?

    At the moment, we operate a mix of B747 and B777 to Lagos and Abuja. We keep on reviewing our work as network changes. We operate B777 in Abuja.This is the plan.

    What is your capacity in Nigeria in terms of market share?

    Unfortunately, I cannot share commercial and sensitive information when it comes to market share. We have been operating in Nigeria for 80 years. That means that our operation is strong, but I cannot be specific when it comes to sensitive figures.

    You talked about bringing in B777 to replace the B747 your passengers are used to. What informed this change? Could it be as a result of shrinking market?

    The B777 operates to Nigeria with First Class both to Lagos and Abuja. The First Class is a very important market for us.  We keep on reviewing our capacity and we have been quite flexible with our capacity. We keep on operating B747 now but we will be reviewing this in the weeks to come.

    The Nigerian economy is having issues. People cannot get foreign exchange; how much impact does it have on you in terms of passenger volume?

    We are aware of challenging times in Nigeria. Load factors are very strong, but I cannot give you more statistics. Our operation is very strong and Nigeria remains our very strong market. We are still very positive about Nigeria.

    Recently, foreign airlines had problem repatriating their funds from Nigeria, has that been resolved? What is the collaboration between your airline and the Nigerian government in view of foreign exchange policy?

    As you know, there are some challenges at the moment with the Nigerian government. At the moment, we are working on it. There are ways things are resolved. This is a partnership of 80 years, and if you don’t have the understanding at 80 years of being together, you will never have it. We are constantly working with the arms of government, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Finance, International Air Transport Association (IATA) to ensure that we get support; we are getting support from the government. The matter will be resolved in a matter of time.

    You will celebrate 80 years of operating into Nigeria this year. What are you giving back to your loyal customers?

    I am not going to reveal what we are going to give back to Nigerians for our 80 years. When it comes to fares, our fares are very competitive and we keep on reviewing our price.

    Operating in an economy for 80 years means there is something unique in that economy. What is that uniqueness that has kept you going?

    I will say the people. We have a very strong base of loyal customers, some spanning four, five generations of particular families. In Nigeria, whatever you sell, you are good to go. You have the population. By your sheer population, your country is a very strong market for any product. When you take our product, which is airline, we continue to be the bridge to bring people from Nigeria into the world, connecting investors from the world back into Nigeria. It is the number and loyalty we have enjoyed over these years. We have a strong position of point to point.

    How would you describe the local market and how can the government help to grow the sector?

    From my point of view, the Nigerian market is not different from many other markets globally. There is a lot of competition and challenges with the economy, but again, this is similar to many of the markets I am responsible for in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, but we are a very dynamic company; we adjust our products and aircraft to suit demands. Nigeria is a very strong market and still a strong market; it will continue to be stronger for another 80 years.

    On the passenger side, people talk about issues around transit visa, is there anything your airline could do to ease this without people cutting corners?

    We work closely with the British government to ensure that when it comes to transit visa, the process is very smooth as much as possible. It is nothing specific for Nigeria, but we do it for everywhere and for many markets in the Middle East like Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizens in terms of easier processing of visas.

    What are your plans for the medium and long term?

    We have quite a lot of premium capacity increase. We have the new Boeing 747 with additional Club World seats, that is, Business Class. We have quite a lot of them to Riyadh, Kuwait, Dubai. Dubai is already operating with bigger Club World. Same for Riyadh, Kuwait and also to Johannesburg, which will happen very soon. Only two weeks ago, we announced our planned operations into Tehran commencing from July. We will fly to Tehran with B777, six times a week from London.

    Apart from Lagos to Abuja, are you planning to extend your operations to other destinations in Nigeria?

    At the moment, no. There is a big issue in Nigeria about multiple designation and the local airlines are raising eye brow. We are guided by the agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK), which is the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).  No matter how you like, you can’t just say you want to fly into Port-Harcourt if it is not in the agreement, you cannot go there. If it is not in the agreement you cannot do it. If we want it, the Nigerian and British governments will come together and agree for us to do that. So, we may really like Port Harcourt because we have a lot of customers there, but we are guided by the law that exists between the two countries.

    You used to have a lot of CSR projects. In 80 years, can you list some of the projects you have done as a gift to the communities?

    There are lots of things we are doing in that area. There is the Kuje school in Abuja, which we built and still supporting. If you know the history of that school, it was a school where people were learning under the tree. BA actually rebuilt the school and provided portable water. I was in Kuje late last year to look at the computer class that we started. Last year, we were involved in Leaders of Tomorrow project where we identified six promising Nigerian students in aviation and tried to get them ready for the future. That was phase one. It was a fantastic programme. We brought them to London where they spent one week in different areas of the airline including mentorship from our CEO, Mr. Keith Williams, to get experience on civil engineering side of the operations.

    We like to continue that and roll out the second phase. Those students were from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria and Aviation school in Ilorin, Kwara State. I suspect that the second phase will be better and bigger than the phase one. The Britishness stops us from making too much noise. Even the Leaders of Tomorrow, we just want to impact on lives without making too much of publicity stunt. We impact on lives and want them to be the ones talking. We are also in partnership with Comet relief to ensure that people’s lives are impacted.

    The gender market is opening up now so much that there is a lot of agitation for women oriented business. BA should have a softer part not really on serious aviation.

    We have tips on how to travel with kids. We are currently working with Women in Aviation, Women in Business and you know that they are very powerful people.

    BA has made huge investment in aircraft expansion and acquisition. Could you avail us of the orders you have made, and the general outlook of your investment?

    We are in the middle of £5 billion investments in new aircraft, new lounges to make sure that our customers have fantastic and even better experience on British Airways. We acquired 10 A380, but ordered 12. We acquired B787-800 the ones with First Class. One of the first one was to Abu Dhabi and Muskat. We will be reviewing in the near future depending on our capacity.

    We constantly review our aircraft deployment globally. If there will be opportunity, there will be no doubt that we will deploy the A380 aircraft to Nigerian route. At the moment, we have one A380 flying into Africa, Johannesburg. We daily deploy A380 to Johannesburg. We will keep on reviewing our A380 operations globally. We deploy them to Singapore, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco etc. There are constant changes.

    What are your challenges operating into Nigeria and Africa?

    Everywhere is challenging. In fact competition is challenging. The fact that you have competition is challenging. As far as you have to deal with some common issues, it is challenging. What we are trying to do is to, as a company, rise above the challenges by making our operations safe and successful. If we have been there for 80 years, it means we can handle the challenges.

    BA has been accused of selecting a particular kind of aircraft that operates to Nigeria. How true is this?

    The aircraft look the same. Aircraft have registration. If you want to check, you can do that with Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for the registration. It does not make sense to keep aircraft on ground, they are made to be flying. We came into London yesterday at 4.30am and there would be 8am flight to New York or 10am to Atlanta. They will roster that aircraft that came in from Lagos to the first destination within that period that you operate with B747. They won’t wait for that aircraft to be returned to Lagos. Another one coming from elsewhere will be deployed to do the Lagos route. If you go into the aircraft toilet, right in front of you, opposite the door, you will see the registration. We have a lot of B747, but the registration will be different. That is why if you look at the seats, the numbers are different. We will not take bad aircraft to one of our biggest markets. As a matter of fact, we do not have bad aircraft.

    Recently, a British carrier asked Nigerian cabin crew to go. What is BA’s approach to its Nigerian staff?

    I do not know the number of Nigerians that are employed by us globally. We employ people from all nationalities globally. There are a lot of Nigerians working globally for British Airways.

    Nigerian airlines are very weak and fragmented. Is there anything BA has to assist Nigerian carriers?

    This is a strategic decision; it has to come from our parent company, AIG. I cannot answer this question. This is something I cannot comment on. AIG is the parent company and they take strategic decision on airline partnership.

    Going forward, what will happen in the next 80 years of your operation in Nigeria?

    BA has a long history when it comes to operations; it was formed over 90 years ago. In those days, we had small planes, but over the years we have grown a lot and I am very proud that we are in Brunei, the Middle East. Three years ago, we celebrated eight years to the area. We have a very long relationship with Africa, particularly with Nigeria. This year we are celebrating 80 years of flying into Nigeria, and we have been increasing capacity to over 40 per cent in other places. We have been pretty successful as an airline. I cannot tell you what will happen in next 80 years, but we are very strong in products and in terms of operations and definitely we will keep on growing and adjusting our capacity to profit the whole demand.

     

  • How to tackle e-waste management, by UNIDO, NESREA,

    How to tackle e-waste management, by UNIDO, NESREA,

    National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lawrence Anukam, has blamed the rise in global electronic or e-waste scourge on technological advancement.

    Anukam, who spoke during a sensitisation workshop on the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for the electrical/electronics sector at the British High Commission residency in Ikoyi, Lagos, said the high technology consumption rate  implies that sustainable production and consumption of electrical/electronics equipment would help control e-waste.

    The event, organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in collaboration with Hinckley Associates, United Kingdom Trade and Investment and NESREA, was aimed at creating public awareness for e-waste management.

    It was also designed to promote meaningful dialogue and consultations between NESREA and key stakeholders; understanding current e-waste disposal processes; providing an overview on current e-waste volumes and future projections.

    In a paper titled: “Overview of Hazardous Waste Management”, delivered by the Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of the Environment, (FMEnv), Mr. Theodore Nwaokwe, he said strategies for managing hazardous wastes (HZW) include appropriate use of regulations, research into cleaner production techniques, EPR and environmental impact assessment (EIA).

    Other include compliance monitoring and enforcement; polluter-pays-principle, public education to change consumption and purchasing habits.

    He also listed efforts of the FMEnv to manage HZWs to include the ratification of relevant conventions (Basel Convention, Stockholm Convention, Rotterdam Convention); establishment of regulatory agencies such as NESREA; active participation at meeting and relating to the relevant conventions.

    He said  signing of memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) on chemicals and HZW management; establishment of linkage centres, hosting of Basel & Stockholm Convention regional centres, and preparing guidelines, regulations, policy frameworks and standards are other steps the government has taken.

    Nwaokwe also listed some projects undertaken by the ministry to include the establishment of scrap metal recycling plants in some towns, establishment of plastic recycling plants in some cities, establishment of waste recycling facility (material recovery facility) in two cities, establishment of integrated waste management facility, clean-up and remediation of Warri Refinery & Petrochemical Company dumpsites, remediation of sludge pits at Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company.

    He called for a more effective HZW in the country, stressing that there is need for increase in both the federal and state budgetary allocations for HZW management; strengthening of collaboration among MDAs, increased compliance monitoring and enforcement.

    He argued that domestication of all ratified treaties and conventions relating to chemicals and HZWs and intensification of research on cleaner production techniques through increasing advocacy with the National Assembly are ways the menace could be addressed.

    He also called for increased sensitisation of stakeholders and the general public, periodic and regular review of legislations, guidelines, standards, policies and regulations and provision of more infrastructure like landfills, treatment plants, incinerators, transfer stations.

    Speaking on the occasion, UNIDO’s Country Representative, Dr David Tommy, said environmental issues are universal and require everyone’s involvement. He said UNIDO is fully committed to promoting sustainable developmental projects. He highlighted some efforts of UNIDO in the EE sector which include organising an e-waste forum a year ago in collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and the development and submission of a proposal on e-waste, which has been submitted to Global Environmental Fund (GEF) for support.

    Tommy also called for holistic approach to environmental protection. To this end, he stressed the need to set up the Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO); set up  Black Box, Registry and Advisory Council for the full implementation of the EPR in the sector. He  pledged UNIDO’s commitment to working with NESREA on EPR implementation.

    Speaking on the relationship between e-waste management and sustainable banking,   Head, Environmental Sustainability/CSR Division, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. A. C. Ifechikwu, said the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP), an initiative of the Bankers’ Committee, was developed to incorporate social and environmental considerations into the activities and operations of the financial sector, and has been adopted by the Nigeria Financial Sector since July 2012, with nine principles. The principles include environmental and social risk management as well as environmental and social footprint, among others.

    He said in deploying a strategy to reduce environmental carbon footprints, the three “Rs”- reduce, that is, waste minimisation/smart procurement; re-use, that is, e-waste, furniture and others. Recycle that is, paper, plastic,; and proper disposal of other wastes.

    In supporting government in e-waste management, Mr. Oluyomi Banjo, an environmental expert at the UNIDO Regional Office, listed UNIDO’s mandate to include helping to promote the greening of existing industries and creation of green industries.

    They also include the implementation of different green industry flagship programmes such as  Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) phase out; persistent organic pollutants phase out and hazardous waste management. Specific products in e-waste that are of concern include flat screens, batteries, CFCs/Fridges and air conditioners.

    In a related development, UNIDO has also organised a workshop on amending the national environmental Ozone Layer protection (OZP) regulations 2009 for the country. The workshop was organised as part of the steps towards the implementation of the project: “Demonstration Project for Disposal of Unwanted Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) in Nigeria”.

    The objectives of the workshop were to identify the gaps in the ODS regulation; inform stakeholders about planned introduction of  the mandatory destruction of unwanted ODS and  product stewardship in ODS containing equipment among others.

    Tommy said the time has come for Nigeria to be fully compliant with product stewardship in line with the EPR. He said the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone layer was the first  protocol  of the United Nations to have all  its member states as signatories

    Therefore, he said Nigeria, as a signatory to the convention,as well as Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Arican Union (AU) are not left behind on recent trends.

    In her presentation on “The Role of Media in Ozone Layer Protection and Environmental Matters” by Environment Editor, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Ms Nkechi Itodo,  listed wrong content alignment in news, poor capacity of media practitioners and organisational issues as some of the challenges weighing down mass media reportage of environmental matters in the country.

    Therefore, she  urged government to champion environment programmes and projects, including funding of media’s participation in environmental conferences to boost media capacity.

    She also tasked journalists to always highlight environment-related matters as developmental issues in their reporting and analysis.

    In all, six papers were presented at the workshop.