African Leaders at AfDB Presidential Dialogue demand Investment in Energy, Infrastructure, Climate Finance

African leaders have called for greater investment in energy, infrastructure, industrialisation and climate finance to accelerate the continent’s development and economic transformation.

The leaders made the call during a presidential dialogue held at the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group in Brazzaville.

They emphasised the need for Africa to mobilise more private capital and strengthen partnerships to finance large-scale development projects.

The high-level panel discussion, featured the presidents of Gabon, Brice Nguema, Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra and host, President Denis Nguesso of the Republic of Congo and the AfDB president Sidi Ould Tah.

The President of the Republic of Gabon said his country was working to transform its natural resources and biodiversity assets into long-term economic growth through eco-tourism and carbon-credit initiatives.

“We would like to develop our forests while preserving nature,” Nguema said.

The Gabonese president also called for greater international compensation for Congo Basin countries preserving global forest ecosystems.

President Nguesso of Congo emphasised the importance of economic diversification beyond oil and gas, highlighting Congo’s plans to expand fertiliser production using its reserves of potash, phosphate and natural gas.

He also underscored the importance of energy generation to Africa’s industrial growth, citing the hydropower potential of the Congo River basin.

“It is not possible to achieve development without energy,” he said.

The Central African Republic president, Touadéra appealed for stronger support to unlock the economic potential of landlocked African countries through investments in roads, electricity and regional connectivity.

“We have huge potential. Today we have peace, and there are several sectors that can attract investors,” he said.

Responding to concerns over Africa’s financing gap, the AfDB president said the continent possessed an estimated four trillion dollars in African-held financial resources that could be leveraged for development.

“It is our role at the bank to work with states and financial institutions to design bankable projects and mobilise the necessary financing,” he said.

The leaders also stressed the importance of investing in Africa’s youth through education, engineering and technical training to drive long-term economic transformation.

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ICAO warns Airlines to stick by COVID-19 Guidelines as 'Ebola spreads faster than Health Workers can contain'

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has urged governments and flight operators to closely follow guidelines put in place following the COVID-19 pandemic.

ICAO made the call as a deadly Ebola strain continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with cases confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.

The outbreak of the Bundibugyo (BVD) strain is a major cause for concern in the DRC, where there have been more than 900 suspected cases and around 220 suspected deaths.

The UN aviation agency also urged governments and flight operators to closely follow guidelines put in place following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The outbreak of the Bundibugyo (BVD) strain is a major cause for concern in the DRC, where there have been more than 900 suspected cases and around 220 suspected deaths.

So far, there have been seven confirmed cases in Uganda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the outbreak, which it has declared a public health emergency of international concern, is spreading faster than health workers can contain it.

On Tuesday, the UN agency called on governments and aviation stakeholders to adhere strictly to WHO recommendations to mitigate any Ebola-related risks.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruption to air travel, prompting ICAO to establish new protocols for rapid, standardised information sharing among States, airlines, airports and health agencies.

Digital innovations such as electronic health declarations and contactless border processes have been integrated into ICAO’s recommendations to track and manage health risks more effectively.

ICAO is also coordinating with WHO and its Member States to provide measures to prevent the transmission of the disease through air travel.

These measures are also designed to protect the health of aviation personnel and passengers, reassure travellers and keep flight cancellations to a minimum.

Meanwhile, the WHO air travel guidance has said Countries should not close borders or impose restrictions on travel and trade, and entry screening outside the affected region is not considered necessary for passengers returning from areas at risk.

Rather, it advises exit screening can be implemented in affected countries for all persons at international airports for unexplained illness associated with fever and consistent with other symptoms of potential BVD.

WHO also urged health authorities to ensure that confirmed cases and contacts of BVD are detected and isolated, and that such individuals do not undertake international travel unless it is part of an appropriate medical evacuation.

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We're not owing you a dime, Airline Operators tell NCAA

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has reacted to the claim that its members are indebted to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for services the agency rendered.

The association said in a statement in Lagos that all services rendered by NCAA to domestic airline operators were fully paid for in advance on a cash-before-service basis.

AON also said that NCAA issued invoices for all regulatory services it provided, including validation of crew operating licences, aircraft inspections and documentation renewals.

It emphasised that airline operators were  required to settle  such charges in advance, saying that compliance had been strict.

“In practice, no domestic airline in Nigeria receives NCAA regulatory services without first making  full payments.

“This long-standing policy and procedure remains firmly in place.

“Consequently, suggestions that domestic airline operators are indebted to the NCAA for regulatory services are factually inaccurate.

“What the NCAA refers to as ‘outstanding charges’ relates solely to the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), a tax imposed by NCAA on passengers for no services rendered to passengers,” it said.

The association said that the tax was  not in consonance with the dictates of international aviation.

“This is entirely different from regulatory service fees,” it said.

‎‎The AON also said that several  airlines maintained dedicated accounts from which the NCAA drew monthly remittances until the forced majure caused by the Iran/Isreal/U.S. conflict that affected global aviation.

According to AON, the operators  have appealed to the Federal Government through the office of Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to temporarily suspend payment of all statutory charges.

It said the suspension was to assist airline operators in managing cash flows during the period of severe financial stress caused by increased cost of Jet A1 (aviation fuel).

‎‎It said that President Bola Tinubu had granted 30 per cent concession, adding that AON was waiting for the Federal  Government’s decision on other aspects of the association’s request for intervention.

It called on the Federal Government to amend the Civil Aviation Act to empower  NCAA to collect appropriate charges directly from passengers without routing such through domestic airlines, with effect from June.

“This will relieve domestic airlines of the financial burden of acting as collection agents for the NCAA, since airlines currently bear banking transfer charges and other transaction costs in the process of transmitting funds to the NCAA.

‎“‎The five per cent Ticket Service Charge in question was introduced over 45 years ago under the Government of General Gowon by the then Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA).

“Its continued relevance has not been reviewed ever since.”

It said that FCAA had evolved overtime to several agencies such as NCAA, Nigerian Airports Authority, which later evolved to  Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority).

“With the creation of each of these agencies, separate taxes, fees, charges and levies were introduced for the Nigerian airline operators to cover their respective services.

‎“‎Meanwhile, the five per cent TSC, which was originally a policy instrument was surreptitiously introduced into the legislation by the NCAA, despite vehement opposition from the AON and other industry stakeholders.

“Domestic airlines, in addition to this five per cent TSC, still pay separately and directly for services provided by the various  agencies, including the NCAA.”

‎The association  called on the Federal Government to review all forms of levies imposed on domestic airline operators.

“The financial impact of these taxes, fees, charges and levies is adverse and burdensome  especially at this period, when the entire world has been exposed to the exogenous shocks of the Iran/Israel/USA crisis.

‎“‎The aviation sector is crucial to the economy as a catalyst and enabler for economic growth.

“The survival of the sector therefore demands urgent and deliberate policy action,” AON said. 

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