Category: Business

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has restored bulk electricity transmission through the Mando–Kumbotso 330kV transmission line following the successful completion of scheduled maintenance works.

TCN announced that the transmission line was restored to service at 4:33 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2026, bringing an end to the planned outage that temporarily disrupted power supply across parts of northern Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, the company said normal bulk power transmission has resumed to Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, as well as parts of Bauchi and Yobe states.

The restoration also reconnects Gazaoua in the Republic of Niger to the electricity supply through the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).

TCN thanked electricity consumers for their patience and understanding during the maintenance period.

Earlier, Newpost Africa reported that the company had announced a planned outage on the Mando–Kumbotso 330kV transmission line from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, to enable maintenance activities on the critical transmission infrastructure.

The outage affected electricity supply to customers served by KEDCO across Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, parts of Bauchi and Yobe states, as well as consumers in Gazaoua, Niger Republic.

With the maintenance work completed and the transmission line restored, affected areas are expected to experience a gradual return to normal electricity supply.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. has highlighted the leadership journey and impact of Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, describing her as a key figure behind the organisation’s growing corporate social responsibility initiatives across the country.

In a profile published on Sunday and titled “A Woman. A Foundation. Unforgettable Impact,” NNPC traced Arukwe’s personal and professional journey, detailing her rise from a legal and corporate governance professional to becoming the pioneer Managing Director of the Foundation.

According to the company, Arukwe played a significant role during NNPC’s transition from a corporation to a limited liability company, serving as Acting Company Secretary and helping coordinate numerous board and committee meetings during the transformation process.

Since assuming leadership of the NNPC Foundation, she has overseen programmes focused on healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, energy access and environmental sustainability.

The Foundation has also gained continental recognition, winning multiple honours at the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAS) Africa CSR Awards, including the Most Responsible Organisation in Africa Award.

Among its flagship interventions is a nationwide cataract treatment programme that has screened more than 23,000 Nigerians and facilitated over 6,000 surgeries aimed at restoring sight to visually impaired citizens.

The Foundation recently commissioned a 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, to improve access to advanced diagnostic services in the South-East region.

Arukwe said the Foundation’s interventions are designed to create measurable impact while improving public perception of NNPC through community-focused projects.

She noted that the organisation relies on data-driven decision-making while maintaining empathy in addressing social challenges.

The Foundation has also expanded its youth empowerment efforts through financial literacy, entrepreneurship and business development programmes, including initiatives targeted at National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

In collaboration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), participants in the programme received discounted business registration services to encourage entrepreneurship among young Nigerians.

Beyond programme implementation, Arukwe has remained an advocate for mentorship and women’s leadership development within the energy sector.

She described the establishment of Women in NNPC (WIN) as one of the organisation’s important initiatives aimed at strengthening female representation and leadership opportunities.

Reflecting on her career, Arukwe said her goal is to leave a legacy of service and impact through initiatives that improve lives and support national development.

According to NNPC, the Foundation remains committed to delivering sustainable interventions that address critical social needs while supporting the company’s broader commitment to national development.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has issued a Notice of Planned Outage on the Mando–Kumbotso 330kV Transmission Line, scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

According to a statement signed by Ndidi Mbah, GM Public Affairs, the outage is necessary to enable TCN’s maintenance crew to repair a damaged Red Phase Conductor on Tower T187 along the line route.

As a result, the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) will be unable to supply electricity to customers across Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa States, as well as parts of Bauchi and Yobe States. Consumers in Gazaoua, the Niger Republic, will also be affected.

TCN emphasised that the annual maintenance is critical to ensuring the reliability and safety of the grid, noting that such preventive work helps avert larger disruptions in the future.

The company apologised for any inconvenience caused and assured that the power supply would be restored immediately after the completion of the scheduled work.

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (NPA) — The Federal Government of Nigeria has signed a partnership agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) aimed at modernising aviation infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and strengthening airline competitiveness across Africa.

The agreement was signed on Thursday on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville, Congo.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director of PICU at the AfDB, Mike Salawou, described the agreement as a major continental initiative designed to transform Africa’s aviation ecosystem.

Salawou said the partnership would focus on aviation infrastructure development, improved connectivity, private sector investment and the modernisation of airline operations across the continent.

He noted that despite Africa accounting for about 18 per cent of the global population, airlines on the continent still represented only a small fraction of global air transport operations.

According to him, the disparity reflects longstanding challenges facing the sector, including infrastructure gaps, fragmented markets and limited access to long-term financing.

Salawou said Nigeria, being Africa’s largest aviation market, was strategically positioned to lead the continent’s aviation transformation agenda.

He added that Nigeria had become the first country to sign a country compact under the AfDB aviation transformation programme.

In his remarks, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said stronger air connectivity remained critical to unlocking Africa’s potential in trade, tourism and investment.

Keyamo said the agreement represented a significant milestone in efforts to improve the competitiveness of African airlines and expand aviation capacity across the continent.

According to him, the AfDB initiative will help modernise airline fleets and create access to competitive financing models similar to those available in other regions of the world.

The minister said the Nigerian government had given its full backing to the partnership, stressing that the initiative aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the country’s aviation sector.

(NAN)

IBADAN, Nigeria (NPA) — The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has issued a public announcement listing its Band A feeders that experienced unmet hours of electricity supply on May 25, 2026.

In a notice, signed by the Management, IBEDC expressed regret for its inability to deliver the estimated hours of power supply to affected customers.

The company attributed the shortfall to Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) forced and planned outages, IBEDC forced outages, load shedding, overcurrent and earth faults, and disconnections for non‑payment.

IBEDC confirmed that all affected feeders have now been restored except the Moniya Railway 33kV feeder, which remains disconnected. The company assured customers of its commitment to delivering the expected hours of supply and improving service reliability.

The company, while pledging dedication to transparency and customer satisfaction, listed several feeders across its network, including Poly Plant, Mamba Plant, MODER Plastic, Akimadex, and Eleruwa, with detailed explanations for each outage.

LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has intensified efforts to strengthen collaboration with international airline operators as part of measures aimed at improving passenger experience and service delivery across the country’s airports.

The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, held an interactive meeting with members of the International Airlines Association of Nigeria (IAAN) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The engagement provided both parties with an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly challenges affecting airport operations and customer satisfaction.

Speaking during the session, Agbebire said the meeting was organised to foster a stronger working relationship between the Department of Protocol and Passages and airline operators, while also creating an avenue to listen to concerns raised by the airlines.

Representatives of the international airlines highlighted several operational challenges, including inadequate signage around ongoing landside construction works, insufficient lifts, shuttle bus difficulties, and concerns over airside ramp markings affected by construction activities.

The airlines also called for increased support from airport authorities to further enhance passenger comfort and overall customer experience.

Responding, the FAAN director assured stakeholders that all issues and observations raised during the meeting would be carefully reviewed in line with efforts to improve operational standards and service delivery at Nigerian airports.