The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has refused to reopen the Ibadan airport despite pleas from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria calling for the reopening of the aerodrome, after confirming that, by the level of work done at the airport, flight operations can commence, The PUNCH reports.

In February, the NCAA announced that the Ibadan airport would be shut down for six months to enable the commencement of maintenance and upgrade works. Upon the announcement, the airport was shut down, and the state government commenced rehabilitation work on the aerodrome to meet international standards.

The PUNCH gathered that upgrade works were not the only reason for the closure order, but also gaps discovered by the regulators.

In September, the Oyo State Government held an official flag-off of a N41bn upgrade of the airport, which was named Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, in a major push for its international status

The PUNCH, however, gathered that on September 22, the NCAA wrote to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria after an inspection exercise of the airport, curating a list of gaps noticed by the authority at the aerodrome.

In response, FAAN, in a letter dated November 18 and obtained by our correspondent, appealed to the NCAA to reopen the airport after some of the gaps raised in its earlier complaint letter had been closed.

The letter, referenced FAAN/HQ/MD/PA/VOL.37/7, with the heading: ‘‘Submission of corrective action plans (caps) on findings of NCAA inspection of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan and request for recertification of the airport for scheduled flight operation,’ appealed to the regulator for the immediate reopening of the airport, adding that the working hours at the airport would be reduced until all the complaints raised by the NCAA are fully rectified.

The FAAN letter said, “The purpose of this letter is to refer to the inspection conducted by the NCAA team on 11–12 September 2025, of Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, and subsequent findings communicated to us. While appreciating the effort of the NCAA team, we are pleased to submit the Corrective Action Plans (CAPs), as attached.

“The Authority is further pleased to inform the Director General that a significant number of the findings highlighted in the NCAA report have been closed, while efforts are ongoing to address the remaining ones. With the initiatives deployed, we are confident that with the implementation of the CAPs, Ibadan Airport will continue to operate efficiently and safely.”

While speaking of measures to ensure smooth resumption of flight operations, FAAN further stated that, “In further demonstrating the progress made in the implementation of the Corrective Action Plans, we wish to request for the recapsing of the airport for the resumption of scheduled flight operations, under the Visual Flight Rules (VFR), on the following operational conditions: The daily flight operations hours have been limited to 07:00hrs – 17:00hrs only.

“Chief operations officer/work hours are extended so the airfield will be reopened by 18:00hrs – 20:00hrs of the following day. This measure is intended to mitigate construction-related risks to flight operations. The threshold of Runway 04 will be displaced by 300 meters to establish a safe distinction between the Runway End Safety Area, meteor work site, and flight operations.”

The Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, reassured the NCAA DG, Capt Chris Najomo, of continuous adherence to regulatory requirements in aerodrome work, as well as coordinating with the project team to achieve the timely completion of the airport upgrade project. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards.”

When contacted, the spokesperson of the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, said he would have to speak with the Director of Aerodromes to have proper knowledge of the issue at hand before getting back to our correspondent.

“Although what I can say is, the NCAA under Capt Chris Najomo will not give anything to chances, adding that as far as all the gaps pinpointed are yet to be taken care of, I doubt the NCAA will give its nod, but I will get back to you much later after I must have contacted the Director of Airworthiness and Director of Aerodromes.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s upstream subsidiary, NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, has recorded its highest daily crude oil production in more than three decades, hitting 355,000 barrels per day on December 1, 2025.

The milestone, confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by NNPC Limited’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, marks the company’s biggest output since 1989 and signals renewed momentum in Nigeria’s upstream recovery efforts.

According to the statement, NNPC E&P Limited’s average daily output has surged by 52 per cent in just two years, rising from 203,000 barrels per day in 2023 to 312,000 barrels per day in 2025, a performance the company attributed to strengthened operational systems, disciplined asset management and structured field development.

“On December 1st, 2025, NNPC E&P Limited, the flagship upstream subsidiary of NNPC Limited, achieved a record production level of 355,000 barrels of oil per day, its highest daily output since 1989. The milestone marks a significant step forward for Nigeria’s upstream sector and reflects the company’s ongoing transformation anchored on efficiency and discipline.

“The figures show genuine transformation: average daily production surged 52 per cent, rising from 203,000 barrels per day in 2023 to 312,000 in 2025.

“This record growth is no coincidence; it stems from a clear strategy anchored on operational excellence, strong asset management, and structured field development,” the statement said, stressing that the achievement reflects a “genuine transformation” underway within the company.

Commenting on the achievement, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Bayo Ojulari, described the accomplishment as fresh evidence that Nigeria’s energy revival “is not a dream but already happening.”

Ojulari noted that by exceeding its own production benchmarks, NNPC E&P has demonstrated that the essential building blocks needed to scale national output are being firmly established.

“By showing its ability to exceed its own production benchmarks, NEPL confirms that the essential building blocks for scaling national output are being firmly established. The achievement signals that the machinery of production, equipment, processes, capabilities, and partnerships can be driven with commercial discipline to produce real and positive outcomes.

“The achievement converts national ambition into measurable momentum. The presidential targets of two million barrels per day by 2027 and three million by 2030 have often appeared aspirational. NEPLs’ delivery brings them closer to reality,” he added.

Ojulari said the accomplishment boosts investor confidence and reassures global partners that Nigeria remains committed to reclaiming its place as a stable, dependable crude supplier.

The Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, said the milestone represents more than a production figure, stressing that NEPL’s growth is anchored on responsible and sustainable operations.

“In a sector where shortcuts can yield short-term wins but long-term damage, NEPL is making a different point: sustainable progress must rest on responsible operations. This ensures that scaling production does not compromise worker safety, community wellbeing, or environmental protection. It reinforces a shift away from extraction at any cost towards sustainable value creation, a core requirement for any modern energy company seeking global relevance,” Ntia said.

According to him, the company’s approach ensures that scaling output does not undermine worker safety, environmental protection or community wellbeing.

Similarly, the Managing Director of NNPC E&P Limited, Nicolas Foucart, said the new production record reflects the broader transformation sweeping through NNPC Limited.

“This is a story shaped by leadership that charts a clear course; by partnerships built on alignment and accountability; and by a workforce whose hard work is turning goals into measurable progress. Our people, our processes, and principles are the real engines behind this success. We are building for tomorrow, not just celebrating today,” Foucart noted.

He added that the gains translate into increased national revenue, stronger energy security and a more resilient economic foundation.

“For Nigerians, this accomplishment means far more than increased barrels; it translates into greater national revenue, stronger energy security, and a more resilient economic foundation. NEPL has not only produced more hydrocarbons; it has reignited belief in what Nigeria’s energy sector can achieve with the right systems, culture, and dedication.”

Nigeria’s crude oil sector has struggled over the past decade, with output frequently dropping below OPEC quotas due to pipeline vandalism, crude theft, underinvestment, deferred maintenance and declining performance of mature fields.

At several points between 2021 and 2023, the country’s production fell to multi-decade lows, raising concerns about revenue losses and the long-term viability of the industry.

Reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act, the unbundling of NNPC into a commercial entity and renewed upstream interventions have aimed to reverse the decline.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has set ambitious production targets of two million barrels per day by 2027 and three million barrels per day by 2030, goals industry players previously considered optimistic.

NNPC E&P Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary responsible for several joint venture and production-sharing assets, has been positioned as a critical driver of this revival. The company has implemented field optimisation strategies, renewed contractor alignment, strengthened governance structures and ramped up previously underperforming assets.

The latest 355,000 bpd performance, the company’s highest since 1989, is a significant step toward stabilising national output and rebuilding investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil industry.

Marketers and participants at the just-concluded Kano International Trade Fair have endorsed the newly unveiled Dangote Sugar packs, describing them as convenient, consumer-friendly, and well-suited for both household use and retailing.

Dangote Sugar said in a statement on Tuesday that it recently introduced new pack sizes, including 100g sachets and 25kg bags, aimed at increasing affordability and market penetration.

“The Dangote new sugar packs will greatly make it more affordable to the average northern population,” a monarch who participated in the Fair, Alhaji Isyaku Umar Tofa, Makaman Bichi, told newsmen on the sidelines of the company’s Special Day, according to the statement.

According to him, the redesigned and reasonably priced packs will enable more households, small retailers, and food vendors to access quality sugar without financial strain, thereby supporting both daily consumption needs and small-scale commercial activities.

Reacting, prominent businessman and Chief Executive of Sambajo General Enterprises Limited, Alhaji Salisu Sambajo, said the 25kg pack is ideal for SMEs, bakeries, restaurants, and distributors who require bulk but affordable quantities, making it easier for them to access quality sugar without high upfront costs.

On the other hand, he said, the 100g pack targets low-income households, retail kiosks, and on-the-go consumers. “Together, these new pack sizes broaden our reach across all consumer segments, improve product visibility in open markets and retail outlets, and ultimately enhance our market share in the North.”

Dangote is one of the major sponsors of the Kano Trade Fair, with the theme: Empowering SMEs for Sustainable Growth. He said the Dangote Group’s continuous investment in critical sectors such as sugar, petroleum, cement, fertilizers, and more has tremendously supported national development and improved livelihoods.

Sambajo urged Dangote to maintain this commitment to quality, innovation, and local empowerment, especially across northern communities. “Alhaji Aliko’s contributions remain invaluable, and we look forward to more breakthroughs that will support Nigeria’s growth and self-reliance,” he said.

He added that the government should continue to create an enabling environment for large-scale industrialists like the Dangote Group. “We need a supportive policy on transportation, taxation, energy supply, and ease of doing business to allow these industries to operate optimally and remain competitive,” he said.

A female trader from Maiduguri, Hajiya Y’agana Babagana, who participated in the Kano International Trade Fair, described the company’s initiative to introduce affordable 100g and 25kg sugar packs as a welcome development for consumers.

“I sell locally made incense, known as turaren wuta, and sugar is an essential ingredient in producing it; you simply cannot make turaren wuta without sugar,” Y’agana explained. She spoke enthusiastically about the new range of Dangote Sugar, adding, “You can see why we flocked to the Dangote pavilion to buy, especially the 25kg pack.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria hopes to lift agricultural lending above the current level of less than five per cent of banks’ credit, with Governor Olayemi Cardoso declaring that agriculture must receive its “rightful place in our financial system and national priorities.”

Cardoso spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the inauguration of the newly constituted Board of the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund. He told the audience that the event marked “a defining moment — a bold statement of intent that signals a new dawn for agricultural financing in Nigeria.”

He said agriculture remained the backbone of the economy, contributing more than one-fifth of GDP and employing most Nigerians, yet “it receives only a small fraction of formal credit — less than 5 per cent of banks’ lending goes to the agricultural sector.”

According to him, this chronic underfunding has stifled productivity and expansion for millions of farmers. “It is a reassessment of norms: we will no longer accept business-as-usual,” he said. “Instead, we embrace a future where agriculture is accorded its rightful place.”

Cardoso said the fund, which guarantees up to 75 per cent of the value of agricultural loans, had helped banks lend to farmers for decades, including those considered “unbankable.”

He noted that the scheme had been strengthened following a 2019 amendment that expanded its share capital from N3bn to N50bn and broadened its mandate. He said the reform was designed to deepen inclusivity, adding that the revised Act now provides for a board composed not only of government officials but also of farmers’ representatives.

“Such inclusivity is strategic: it enshrines partnership between policymakers, financiers, and the farming community in guiding the Scheme’s activities,” he said. Cardoso described the sector as standing at the “crossroads of unprecedented opportunity” under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda.

He said the vision was to build a resilient, technologically advanced, and inclusive agricultural economy that “ensures food security, reduces poverty, and creates wealth for millions of Nigerians.”

According to him, smallholder farmers constitute 80 per cent of Nigeria’s farmers and produce about 90 per cent of food, yet they continue to face high barriers to credit. “Many lack collateral or credit history — a situation we can no longer afford, given that these same smallholders feed our nation and drive our rural economy,” he said.

Also speaking, the chairman of the newly inaugurated board, Dr Olusegun Oshin, said the scheme must focus on the grassroots, where the majority of farmers struggle without credit or storage facilities.

He told the gathering that “those that feed us are those weak, poor farmers very far away in the villages and who don’t have access to credit,” adding that even when they manage to raise funds, “they don’t even store it properly because they don’t have the capacity for storage.”