Business
We overshot our budget due to protracted power outage – Organisers
The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) says it has overshot its budget for the 37th Enugu International Trade Fair due to the protracted power outage.
The Director-General of ECCIMA, Uche Mba, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu, on Wednesday.
Mr Mba blamed the development on the chamber’s dependence on its diesel-powered generators throughout the duration of the fair.
According to him, operating on diesel increased the fair’s daily costs, especially with the two-day extension.
“We have recorded a lot of unanticipated costs, particularly buying diesel at the present exorbitant price.
“The huge expenses incurred in running our generating sets also ate deep into our general budget for the fair,” Mr Mbah said.
He blamed the situation on MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited’s failure to meet its assurances to provide regular power.
“It is unfortunate. We even visited the company to seek its cooperation to ensure they provide stable electricity during the fair,” he said.
Speaking on the poor power supply, the spokesman for MainPower, Emeka Ezeh, said the company was experiencing challenges with energy allocation, which he said had dropped significantly.
Mr Eze also said that the situation had lingered since late last year, adding that “it is not peculiar to MainPower DisCo, but all other distribution companies in the country.
He said, “We did not and cannot deprive ECCIMA of power during its crucial fair.
“Rather, we serve them and all our other customers based on the energy allocation we received from the national grid.
READ ALSO: Enugu Tech Festival aligns with Tinubu’s policy on innovation – Igbo-Eze South chairman
“Unfortunately, with what is currently going on in the power sector, MainPower cannot deliver a constant supply because the energy allocation it receives from the national grid is not sufficient to do so.”
Mr Eze reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting ECCIMA and all its programmes and initiatives, including the ongoing trade fair.
“However, it would only be fair that ECCIMA appreciates the current power supply challenge, which is experienced across the country,” he said.
NAN reports that the theme of the 10-day fair is “Empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for Global Competitiveness”.
The event, which kicked off on 21 March 21, is expected to end on 1 April, after a two-day extension.
FCMB Group Plc has appointed the former Chief Executive Officer at Lafarge Africa Plc, Adepeju Adebajo, as an Independent Non-Executive Director on its board.
The group disclosed the appointment in a statement posted on NGX and signed by its secretary, Olufunmilayo Adedibu, on Friday, stating that her appointment will strengthen the board and support the transformation goals across the group.
“FCMB Group Plc (the Company) wishes to notify Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and the general public that the Central Bank of Nigeria has approved the appointment of Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of FCMB Group Plc.
“Mrs Adebajo’s appointment is intended to strengthen the Board and support its transformation goals across the Group,” the statement read.
Profile
Mrs Adebajo holds a Master’s and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
She chairs the board of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and is a Transformation Lead at Etex Group (Nigerite and Emenite Limited).
Mrs Adebajo brings over 30 years of experience across industry, renewable energy, agriculture, finance, and consulting.
READ ALSO: FCMB achieves N500 billion recapitalisation target as capital raise ends
According to the group, the new non-executive director has worked with teams and clients in Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, helping them grow and multiply impact.
Throughout her career, Mrs Adebajo has led teams through change and growth. She was previously the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cement at Lafarge Africa Plc, the CEO of Mouka Limited, the CEO of Lumos Nigeria, the CEO of UTC Nigeria Plc, and an Assistant General Manager at United Bank for Africa Plc.
In 2025, Mrs Adebajo founded Climate Governance Initiative Nigeria, affiliated with the World Economic Forum, and serves on the World Economic Forum Council on Climate and Nature Governance (2025-2027).
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said it will officially launch a digital drone regulation portal during the 6th Africa International Drone Technology Conference and Exhibition (DroneTecX 2026) scheduled to hold in Lagos next week.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the NCAA said the Drone (RPAS/UAS) Portal would be unveiled during the conference billed for 12–16 May at the NIGAV Expo Centre, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The agency described the portal as part of efforts to strengthen drone regulation and improve oversight of unmanned aircraft operations in Nigeria.
According to the NCAA, the platform is expected to streamline regulatory processes involving drones, also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).
The authority said the portal would handle processes such as drone registration, operator certification, incident reporting, ownership transfers and compliance management.
It added that the system is intended to make regulatory engagement easier for individuals, small businesses and commercial drone operators.
“This strategic launch represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to streamline Drone/Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)/Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) regulation, promote safe drone operations, and accelerate the growth of the drone industry,” the NCAA said.
The agency also noted that the platform would consolidate application and approval processes into a single digital system, allowing operators to upload documentation, submit safety case files and track applications in real time.
According to the NCAA, the portal is designed to align with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations governing drone operations.
Background
Drones are aircraft operated without a pilot onboard and are either remotely controlled or programmed to fly autonomously using onboard navigation systems and software.
Their use has expanded globally in recent years across sectors including agriculture, aerial photography, mapping, surveillance, infrastructure inspection, emergency response and logistics.
READ ALSO: NCAA DG speaks on flight delays, cancellations amid passenger complaints
In Nigeria, the growing use of drones has prompted increased regulatory attention from aviation authorities over concerns related to airspace safety, security and operational compliance. Under existing civil aviation regulations, operators are required to obtain approvals and certifications for certain categories of drone operations, particularly commercial activities and flights within controlled airspace.
The authority encouraged prospective users, operators and other stakeholders in the drone sector to familiarise themselves with the platform ahead of its formal rollout.
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