Sky skipper.🇳🇬

[Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) @fkeyamo]

Thursday, 6th August, 2026

Canadian, Embassy, Abuja

PRESS RELEASE

NIGERIA, CANADA SIGN EXPANDED AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT FOR DIRECT FLIGHTS, TRADES AND CONNECTIVITY

In a landmark step towards strengthening bilateral aviation relations and expanding economic cooperation, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of Canada have signed an expanded Air Transport Agreement that will, for the first time, permit direct scheduled air services between both countries.

The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK), was represented at the signing ceremony by the Director of Air Transport Management, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani, who joined the Canadian Chief Air Negotiator for Global Affairs, Ms. Shendra Melia, at the High Commission of Canada in Abuja to formalize the historic agreement.

The signing followed an extensive Nigeria–Canada Air Transport Expansion Technical Review Worksession, during which both delegations reviewed the existing Bilateral Air Services framework and reached a consensus that culminated in the signing of the Agreed Minutes.

The Nigerian delegation comprised Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani, Director, Air Transport Management; Mrs. Jummai Yahaya, Esq., Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development; Mrs. Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe, Director, Air Transport Regulation, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), alongside other senior government officials.

The Canadian delegation was led by Ms. Shendra Melia, Chief Air Negotiator for Global Affairs Canada, and included Mr. Jathorsan Lingarajan, Trade Policy Officer, Global Affairs Canada, and Mr. Steven Worth, Manager and Senior Policy Advisor, Transport Canada, among other officials.

The expanded agreement marks a significant milestone in the aviation relationship between Nigeria and Canada. It introduces several important enhancements designed to improve connectivity, promote tourism, facilitate trade, and create new opportunities for airlines and businesses in both countries.

Key highlights of the expanded Air Transport Agreement include:

- The right for Nigeria and Canada to designate multiple airlines to operate scheduled air services between the two countries.
- A capacity allowance of 14 weekly passenger flights and 10 weekly all-cargo flights for the designated airlines of each country.
- The granting of Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights for all-cargo operations, allowing cargo airlines to transport freight between two foreign countries, provided the service originates or terminates in the airline's home country.

The agreement is expected to significantly enhance air connectivity between Nigeria and Canada by paving the way for the commencement of direct flights, thereby reducing travel time, improving passenger convenience, lowering logistics costs, and strengthening commercial and cultural ties between both nations.

The development is particularly significant given the growing people-to-people relationship between Nigeria and Canada. As of 31 March 2026, more than 25,000 Nigerians hold valid Canadian study permits, making Nigeria one of Canada's major international student source countries. The enhanced aviation framework is expected to further support educational exchanges, tourism, business travel, investment, and family reunification.

The Nigeria–Canada Air Transport Agreement was originally negotiated in 2014 as a code-share-only arrangement and formally signed in March 2025. The current agreement represents the first major expansion of the bilateral air services framework since its negotiation over a decade ago.

Tunde Moshood
Special Adviser on Media and Communications
to the Honourable Minister

[Dr. MB Kusharki @mbkusharki]

@canadavisa_com Something Nigeria did since last year!!!

I thought they said Canada is better than here?

[Daddy D.O🇳🇬 @DOlusegun]

So many promises made in the Renewed Hope Manifesto have been fulfilled by President Tinubu led administration while efforts have gone far in achieving others.

@PBATMediaCentre broke down some of these promises and their status in the image below.

#BelieveinPbat

[Sherifdeen of Nigeria 🇳🇬 @AbuUbayy1]

Is Lagos State for Everybody or Only a Selected Few?
Around 3:20 a.m. last night, our 7-month-old baby girl started crying with a very high fever. She had been running a temperature for the past two days, but it became worse during the night. When I checked with the thermometer, her temperature had risen to 38.5°C.

My wife and I were worried. It was raining heavily, and without a car, we didn't know how we would get her to the hospital.

We used a towel soaked in water to gently wipe her body and help reduce the fever while we waited for the rain to ease.

Then I remembered the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency-LASEMA number, 112. I called at about 4:07 a.m., hoping they could help. A lady answered and asked about the emergency. I explained that my 7-month-old baby had a high fever, it was raining heavily, and we couldn't get to the hospital. She could hear my baby crying in the background.

I asked if they could send an ambulance. She immediately took my address and a nearby landmark.

At about 4:27 a.m., I received another call from the Lagos Emergency Response Call Centre. The officer informed me that an ambulance had already been dispatched. He asked how the team could locate my house because it was still dark and there might not be anyone outside to direct them. I asked if I could send my live location, but he explained that he was calling from the control centre and was not with the ambulance team.

By 5:07 a.m., the rain had stopped. I received another call informing me that the ambulance was waiting at Checkpoint Bus Stop. My wife, our baby, and I quickly took a motorcycle there, and to my surprise, the ambulance was already waiting for us.

The medical personnel welcomed us into the ambulance and asked about our baby's condition. They asked which hospital we normally used. I mentioned the new Primary Health Centre at Ilepo, but explained that it does not operate 24 hours a day. They agreed and advised us that the best option was to take our baby to GeneralHospital Badagry where she could receive proper emergency care.

I believe the ambulance couldn't reach our house because of the heavy rain and the poor condition of the Ibiye–Checkpoint–Magbon road to our street. This is another reason why that road needs urgent attention from the Lagos State Government and the local government. Good roads save lives during emergencies.

One thing that amazed me was that the ambulance came all the way from Badagry General Hospital about 24 kilometres to Checkpoint Bus Stop just to respond to our emergency. Wow. Honestly we are still shock. I only see this happen in developed countries.

For that, I sincerely commend the Lagos State Emergency Response Team. They proved that the emergency service is working and that lives truly matter.

The journey to the hospital was smooth. The Lagos–Badagry Expressway from Agbara Junction to Badagry is now a modern six-lane road with no potholes. Credit goes to former President Muhammadu Buhari for starting the project, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for continuing it, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for ensuring the reconstruction around Badagry, including the road leading to the General Hospital. Good roads make emergency response faster and more effective.

At the hospital, we were asked to open a new patient file because records from the Primary Health Centre could not be accessed there. I believe Lagos State should work towards creating a unified electronic medical record system so that patients' records can be accessed at any government hospital. I no there is existing smart card, we have that with our Lagos health insurance but had expired. I'll renew it.

We paid ₦2,000 to open a new file. The doctor attended to our baby immediately and requested a Full Blood Count (FBC) test and a malaria test, which cost ₦8,000. We also bought the prescribed injections and medications from the hospital pharmacy for about ₦4,000.

[Osas @osazenoo]

If you want to replace Tinubu, you must explain to Nigerians what you will do differently, and how you will achieve it.

Aso Rock is not for amateurs.

[The Godfather JP @AyoOyalowo]

We need to shine more light on the positive impact of government instead of focusing on rubbish. Last week, I was in a restaurant at Jabi mall and the girl attending to me looks too young, so I had to engage her in a conversation.

During our discussion I discovered she was just 19 and when I asked why she wasn’t in school, she told me her parents couldn’t afford to send her to the university.

I told her about @NELFUND and she has NEVER heard of it. She already wrote JAMB, so I quickly called @TheresaTekenah and asked her to help me put her through and when her colleague saw what was happening, she became interested in the conversation and also informed me that she needed such assistance too. So Theresa spoke to them on my phone and exchanged numbers with them to enable her follow up

Apparently, there are a lot of people out there who have no idea what the government is doing, meanwhile the radio and TV stations are daily focused on negative stuff. All the radios stations have daily call-in programming where all they do is to abuse the government. The TV stations too and so called influencers are all focused on attacking the government but NOBODY is interested in helping to point our youths to positive policies that can benefit them?

Anyway, that is about my experience last week. Thanks to @TheresaTekenah that I have handed those young girls to. I hope they can now fulfill their dreams of going to the University soon.

[Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun, CON @DapoAbiodunCON]

Following the grant of Frontier Exploration Status to Ogun State by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, active oil exploration activities are now underway on Eba Island.

Significant progress has already been recorded, with the successful completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), as well as the Bathymetric, Topographical and Geotechnical Surveys. We have also secured all the necessary statutory approvals from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Federal Ministry of Environment.

[Daddy D.O🇳🇬 @DOlusegun]

False news.

The honourable minister has issued a strong rebuttal about this

“My attention has been drawn to some media reports following my brief appearance earlier this morning on Channels TV regarding the ongoing reforms of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), particularly on the issue of the proposed uniform.

For the avoidance of doubt, yes, I mentioned Adire during the discussion. I also mentioned Ankara. My intention was simply to cite examples of some of the proposals that have been put forward in the course of our consultations. It was not an announcement that any particular fabric has been adopted or approved to replace the current NYSC uniform.

For the record, what we are considering are different options that tick all the right boxes in terms of professional outlook, a unique national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness, and the projection of national pride. No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design.

As with every aspect of the ongoing NYSC reforms, any eventual decision will be guided by extensive stakeholder engagement and what best serves the interests of the Scheme and the nation.

I respectfully urge Nigerians to continue to engage with the ongoing NYSC reform conversation based on its broader objectives and the immense benefits it holds for our young people and our country. The reforms are designed to make the Scheme more relevant to today's realities by improving employability, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery, and creating a smoother transition from education to productive careers.

While conversations around the uniform are understandable, they should not overshadow the far-reaching reforms aimed at empowering millions of Nigerian youths and positioning the NYSC as a stronger platform for national development.

I appreciate the constructive feedback and assure Nigerians that every proposal will continue to be carefully considered in the best interest of the nation.

Ayo Olawande
Minister of Youth Development

[Central Bank of Nigeria @cenbank]

Press Release

CBN Revokes Licenses of 46 Microfinance Banks.

Kindly click the link to see the full list of the affected Microfinance Banks on the CBN website : https://t.co/7HymUKTI5J

#CBN
#PressRelease

[Daddy D.O🇳🇬 @DOlusegun]

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has announced its 2026 Recruitment Exercise.

Applications are FREE. No payment is required at any stage of the recruitment process.

Available positions include:
• Officer Cadre
• Marshal Inspectorate Cadre
• Road Marshal Assistant Cadre
• Drivers, Riders, Artisans, and other technical roles

Application deadline: Within four weeks from Friday, July 3, 2026.

[Dr. 'Bosun Tijani @bosuntijani]

The rollout of the National Digital Alphanumeric Postcode System is gathering momentum, and it is encouraging to see more communities across the country receiving their unique digital postcodes.

As implementation continues, please look out for our @NipostNgn field teams in your communities as they deliver on this important national initiative. Every postcode assigned brings us one step closer to a smarter, more secure, and digitally enabled addressing system that will improve service delivery, strengthen emergency response, and unlock new opportunities across our economy.

#NigerianExcellence

[Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT]

On Monday, at the Federal Executive Council, our administration approved the most consequential reforms of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme since its establishment in 1973.

On the day I was sworn in as your President, I promised to create meaningful opportunities for our young people. I said women and youth would feature prominently in our administration, and this reform is partly the actualisation of that promise.

[Rotimi Adeosun (RMA). @adeosunm]

JUST IN: "NIGERIA 🇳🇬 GEO-POLITICAL ZONE BILL 2026

[1] As of October 1 2026, Nigeria’s six geo-political zones will become official and constitutional organs of government. This means that there will be four tiers of administration in Nigeria - Federal, Zonal, State and Local governments

[2] Nigeria will have six geo-political zones, with each being made up of seven states. Our constitution will prohibit the creation of any more states after these 42

[3] As part of this restructure, we will abolish the federal allocation regime and replace it with resource control under which states will remain the federating units. Revenue distribution will be as follows - States: 50%; Federation account: 20%; Geo-political zones: 15%; National trust fund: 15%. We shall gradually migrate towards this to achieve our targeted goal by 2040

[4] Geopolitical zones will be responsible for maintaining regional police forces to augment the activities of the Nigerian Police Force

[5] Each geopolitical zone will be constitutionally obliged to generate, distribute and transmit electricity within its domain

[6] Every year, the chairman of the geopolitical zone will rotate among the six governors within it. A chief executive will be appointed to manage what will be a civil service structure

[7] Ultimate authority for the governing of each geo-political zone rests with the committee of governors. There will also be committees of commissioners to deal with matters such as education, health, housing, transport, security, etc

[8] Each geopolitical zone authority will be responsible for secondary specialist healthcare. They will build specialist hospitals in areas such as oncology, HIV/Aids, renal failure, dementia, reproductive health, dermatology, etc

[9] These will be the 42 states that make up the six geopolitical zones:

South-South
[1] Bayelsa State - Yenagoa
[2] West Izon State - Patani
[3] Rivers State - Port Harcourt
[4] Cross River State - Calabar
[5] Akwa Ibom State - Uyo
[6] Edo State - Benin
[7] Delta State - Warri

Northeast
[1] Mambilla State - Gashaka
[2] Taraba State - Jalingo
[3] Adamawa State - Yola
[4] Borno State - Maiduguri
[5] Yobe State - Damaturu
[6] Bauchi State - Bauchi
[7] Gombe State - Gombe

Southeast
[1] Anioma State - Asaba
[2] Orashi State - Omoku
[3] Anambra State - Awka
[4] Imo State - Owerri
[5] Enugu State - Enugu
[6] Abia State - Umuahia
[7] Ebonyi State - Abakaliki

North-Central
[1] Abuja State - Abuja
[2] Gurara State - Kafanchan
[3] Benue State - Makurdi
[4] Plateau State - Jos
[5] Nasarawa State - Lafia
[6] Kogi State - Lokoja
[7] Niger State - Minna

Southwest
[1] Odo Oya State - Ilorin
[2] Oyo State - Ibadan
[3] Ogun State - Abeokuta
[4] Lagos State - Ikeja
[5] Ondo - Akure
[6] Ekiti - Ado-Ekiti
[7] Osun - Oshogbo

Northwest
[1] Sokoto State - Sokoto
[2] Kebbi State - Birnin Kebbi
[3] Kaduna State - Kaduna
[4] Katsina State - Katsina
[5] Kano State - Kano
[6] Jigawa State - Dutse
[7] Zamfara State - Gusua

[10] If any state is unable to meet its running costs, its geopolitical zone is constitutionally obliged to step in and bail it out. If not, the federal government will declare a state of emergency in that state"

This is Renewed Hope. May Nigeria 🇳🇬 rise again and be a nation of blessing and prosperity to ALL!🙏

[Dr Joe Abah, OON @DrJoeAbah]

I am proud to have contributed to this and grateful that Mr President and FEC approved all our recommendations without any changes. We move! | NYSC Reforms: FG Replaces Military Leadership, Redesigns Uni https://t.co/j1VCnvckaD

[OPay @OPay_NG]

Applications close July 3rd, just a few days to go!

Don't miss your chance to be part of the OPay Scholars National Innovation Challenge 2026 in partnership with Google and 3MTT.

OPayScholars2026 NationalInnovationChallenge OPayBeyondBanking

[Woye @woye1]

State Police and State Prison:

2: @NGFSecretariat pls implement the creation of your own Prison.

-(a): 1999 constitution as amended don remove Prison from exclusive to concurrent list. E joor.

3; You have your funds now. Allow FG to breath oooooooo

4: A state can seek to take over a Federal Prison under a specialized arrangement.

5: since crime dey local. FG will save money from prisons maintenance, feeding, legal etc.

6: This is RESTRUCTURING.

[Foundational Nupe Lawyer @egi_nupe]

Subsidy Removal, you are against it.

Students Loan, you attack it.

Coastal Road, you talk down on it.

Tax Reform, you say it’s anti-poor.

Local Government autonomy, you say it’s a scam.

State Police, you still don’t support it.

What exactly do you want?

[Àkànní @idofoi]

Hold your governors and local government chairmen accountable. Make them answerable for the states and local infrastructures etc. that are not working. If you don’t, you are also part of the problem.

[John Zhao (CCECC) @JohnCCECC]

CCECC Nigeria’s Survey & Design Team is hiring in Abuja. We are recruiting full-time professionals in engineering and design to support infrastructure projects across Nigeria. Apply now and become part of our growing team.@CCECCNigeria

[Tracka @TrackaNG]

The Sagamu - Ijebu Ode road, once a major nightmare for commuters and road users, is gradually receiving a much-needed facelift.

This week, our tracking visit shows significant progress on the project. Concrete pavement from the Sagamu Interchange to Delabo Junction has now been fixed on both sides of the road, improving movement along critical sections of the corridor.

🛣️Our findings also revealed that work has progressed beyond Ijebu Ode on one lane of the road, while workers and construction teams were actively seen at different points carrying out repairs and reconstruction across multiple sections.

🚦Streetlights have also been installed along some parts of the corridor, an important addition expected to improve visibility, safety, and nighttime transportation along the route.

This progress is encouraging considering the economic importance of the road to transportation, trade, and interstate movement.

We will continue monitoring the project to ensure timely completion, quality delivery, and value for public funds committed to the project.

#publicfundsmustworkforthegoodofthepeople