The House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy on Tuesday issued what it described as a final summons to the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu. Also given the same order was the Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP), Olufemi Akinyelure. This decisive move follows their repeated failure to appear before the committee, which is currently investigating grants, loans, and investments in Nigeria's renewable energy sector between 2015 and 2024.
The committee's chairman issued a stern warning regarding the officials' non-compliance. He stated that if the two officials fail to appear before the committee on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 2 p.m., lawmakers would be compelled to invoke their constitutional powers to enforce attendance. This probe is significant as it seeks to scrutinize nearly a decade of financial flows into a critical sector for Nigeria's development, aiming to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds for rural electrification projects.
In a separate political development, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has leveled a serious accusation against the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The party has accused the administration of applying selective justice in the handling of legal cases involving former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. This allegation adds to the political discourse surrounding the rule of law and perceived biases within the current government's approach to legal matters involving prominent figures.
Shifting to the global aviation sector, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its passenger data for January 2026, showing continued recovery and growth. IATA, which represents over 360 airlines accounting for some 85% of global air traffic, reported that total global passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 3.8% compared to January 2025. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased by 3.5% year-on-year, resulting in a global load factor of 82.0%, a record high for the month of January.
The data reveals particularly strong performance in specific regions. African airlines saw a significant 11.7% year-on-year increase in demand for January 2026, with capacity rising by 10.1%. This growth pushed the load factor for African carriers to 77.4%, an improvement of 1.1 percentage points compared to January 2025. This robust expansion underscores the resilience and growing market within the continent's aviation industry, which is crucial for economic connectivity and development.
Middle Eastern carriers also posted growth, with a 7.2% year-on-year increase in demand. However, capacity in the region increased slightly more, at 7.8%, leading to a load factor of 83.2%, which was a slight decrease of 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous year. This region's performance is notable given the ongoing geopolitical challenges that have directly impacted its aviation operations and connectivity.
These aviation statistics are published against a backdrop of regional instability. According to a Daily Trust report, Middle East mega carriers including UAE’s Emirates and Etihad, Qatar Airways, as well as other international carriers, have suspended flights to and from the Middle East indefinitely since the crisis started. IATA has concurrently urged states to respect their obligation to keep civilians, and civil aviation free from harm, highlighting the critical need for safety and security in air travel amidst conflict.
The juxtaposition of these events paints a complex picture of governance and global industry. Domestically, Nigeria faces a parliamentary standoff demanding accountability in a vital energy sector, coupled with political accusations of judicial bias. Internationally, the aviation sector demonstrates economic resilience with strong African growth, yet operates under the shadow of regional conflicts that force major flight suspensions and raise safety concerns from the industry's global body.
