Travel

Italian airline launches new direct flights to Accra

The national airline of Italy, ITA Airways, will launch weekly non-stop flights from Rome to Accra, Ghana, on 6 June. The new development increases travel options to the West African country. “This strategic expansion to include the Rome-Accra route underscores the airline’s commitment to providing enhanced connectivity and fostering international travel within the sub-region,” ITA Airways said. From Germany, the …

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Nigeria: New luxury hotel opens in Ibadan

A new hotel that promises to redefine the hospitality industry in one of Nigeria’s major cities and the capital of one of its 36 states has opened its doors. The DeSignature Tower Hotel & Suite, unveiled on 14 January, is located in the prestigious Jericho GRA in the heart of Ibadan, capital of Oyo State and one of Africa’s largest …

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Ghana opens new Visa and Passport Application Centre in Berlin

Ghana has opened a new dedicated facility in Berlin for the delivery of improved consular services to its citizens and non-citizens planning to visit the West African country in Germany. The Premium Application Centre (PAC) for Visas and Passports should help in providing better services to Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians in Germany and aims to enhance the existing consular services offered …

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Kenya becomes visa-free for all visitors from January 2024

“Beginning January 2024, Kenya will be a visa-free country. It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya,” President William Ruto announced Tuesday during the 60th independence anniversary celebration in Nairobi, the capital. The effect of the landmark move means it …

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Nigeria: Lagos airport gets improved arrival facility

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has unveiled the newly refurbished E-Arrival Wing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. This upgraded hall, a collaborative effort between the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited, aims to streamline the arrival process, providing a smoother experience for passengers, especially the elderly …

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China grants visa-free travel to Germans, 5 others

China has granted visa-free travel to Germans and citizens of five other countries for a year, its foreign ministry announced on Friday. “China has decided to apply unilateral visa-free policy to more countries on a trial basis, which involves extending visa-free treatment to travellers holding ordinary passports from six countries, namely France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia,” Chinese …

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Rwanda announces visa-free travel for all Africans

All Africans can now travel visa-free to Rwanda. President Paul Kagame announced the new policy on Thursday, making his country to become the latest nation on the continent to waive visas to other African nationals after The Gambia, Benin and Seychelles. Speaking at the 23rd Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, holding in Kigali, Rwanda, Kagame said …

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Ghana and South Africa agree on visa-free travel

Ghana and South Africa have entered into an agreement for a visa waiver regime for holders of ordinary passports. This means that citizens of both countries can travel and stay in each other’s territory for up to 90 days without visa in a calendar year. The agreement, which takes effect from 1 November, was announced in a press statement issued …

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Lagos Airport: Foreign airlines relocate to new terminal

International airlines operating from the old Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport have been directed to relocate to the new Chinese-built Terminal 2. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) issued the order following the directive of the new Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. Keyamo, during a visit to the Lagos airport had directed FAAN …

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These are Africa’s Top 10 Airlines for 2023

Widely regarded as ‘the Oscars of the aviation industry’, the World Airline Awards have been presented for the 24th time at the Paris Air Show, taking place from June 19 to 25 in the French capital. The annual global ranking of airlines, organised by Skytrax, is eagerly anticipated each year, even though three airlines – Qatar, Singapore and Emirates, have …

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Nigeria: Lagos launches electric public buses

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the launch of the first set of electric buses for the state’s mass transit scheme. He announced the development on his Instagram page on Sunday, as he shared pictures of the buses. Sanwo-Olu wrote: “I am excited to announce the first set of electric buses in the Lagos Mass Transit Master …

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IATA launches programme to drive aviation’s contribution to African development

Geneva, 3 April 2023 – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is launching “Focus Africa” to strengthen aviation’s contribution to Africa’s economic and social development and improve connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers. This initiative will align private and public stakeholders to deliver measurable progress in six areas. “Africa accounts for 18% of the global population, but just 2.1% …

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Foreign airlines may reduce flights to Nigeria, IATA warns

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association of world airlines, has warned the Nigerian government that difficulties encountered by foreign airlines in repatriating their revenue from the country could lead to a reduction of flights to Nigeria. The total amount of foreign airlines’ trapped funds in Nigeria has risen to $802m, according to the latest figure announced by …

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Nigeria Air: Minister names date for commencement of operations

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has announced that the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air is to commence full operations before the end of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Sirika made the revelation at an aviation stakeholder’s forum in Abuja on Thursday. Responding to a question on when exactly Nigeria Air will commence operations, the minister said, “Before …

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Nigeria investigates Lufthansa over alleged passengers’ maltreatment

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has begun investigations into the alleged maltreatment of Nigeria-bound passengers by Lufthansa Airlines The agency said it had received a report of the alleged maltreatment of over 200 passengers on Flight LH566, which took off from Frankfurt and was destined for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos as a direct flight, but was diverted …

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World’s leading travel trade fair holds in Berlin

The International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin is back as a physical event after a three-year absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It will hold from 8 to 12 March on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds ICC. In 2020 the ITB Berlin did not take place. And it took place entirely as virtual events in 2021 and 2022. ITB Berlin, the world’s …

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Nigeria suspends COVID-19 protocol for international Travellers

Nigeria has relaxed the COVID-19 safety measures and travel advisory, including the suspension of all pre-departure, pre-boarding, and post-arrival PCR test requirements. Making the announcement on Monday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said the decision was based on the sustained reduction in COVID-19 infection/transmission internationally and …

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Germany: African Union official accuses immigration police of racism at Frankfurt Airport

The acting executive director of the pan-African health organisation, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Ahmed Ogwell, has complained that he was mistreated at passport control at the Frankfurt airport as if he wanted to stay in Europe illegally. He came to Germany to attend the 2022 World Health Summit, which opened in Berlin on Sunday …

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