News Wings

Category: Aviation

  • Fidelity Bank Commends Air Peace’s Performance

    Fidelity Bank Commends Air Peace’s Performance

    …celebrates Airline For The Commencement of the Lagos-London Route
     

    Fidelity Bank Plc has commended Air Peace’s performance since it commenced flight operations about 10 years ago.

    Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, the Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc gave the commendation over the weekend in Lagos during a special event organised for the airline by the bank to celebrate Air Peace for the milestone of commencement of direct flights from Lagos to London.

    According to Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, who doubled as the host at the event, the airline has upheld the principles of financial discipline and good corporate governance since inception, while it has also been very loyal to the bank.

    She expressed delight that the bank had the airline as one of its major clients since inception, stressing that the Bank was celebrating the airline’s milestone of launching direct flight service to London and other developments it would attain in the future.

    The event, which held at the Civic Center, Victoria Island, Lagos, had in attendance several bank Managing Directors, stakeholders in the aviation sector, media personalities and well-wishers of both brands.

    Speaking at the event, an elated Dr. Allen Onyema, the Chairman, Air Peace, observed that it was not rosy for the airline to attain its status and expressed gratitude to the flying public, the various aviation stakeholders, the media and the government for the continued support since it launched in 2014.

    He specifically acknowledged the pivotal role played by Engr. Ben Adeyileka, the former Acting Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in helping the airline secure its Airline Operator Certificate (AOC).

    He further commended Fidelity Bank for the consistent support and stressed that the bank had contributed to the success story of the airline.

    “I call it our journey with Fidelity Bank. I did not envisage this day would come when an indigenous institution would be celebrating another indigenous institution. Fidelity supports real business. They keep removing people from the streets of poverty. Let other banks emulate Fidelity,” he said.

    He reiterated that Air Peace was set up primarily to create employment, not for profitmaking, stressing that the motivation behind the business was to empower Nigerians economically.

    “Air Peace was not borne out of the intent to profiteer, but to create jobs. Air Peace was not established because I wanted more money but because of the conviction that running an airline would create massive job opportunities. That was why we went into aviation”, he remarked.

    He restated the airline’s belief in the Nigerian project, maintaining that supporting the airline meant supporting the growth of the Nigerian economy.

    Onyema further craved for the support of all Nigerians on the Lagos-London route, which it opened on March 30, 2024.

    He explained that the airline needed to sustain the route, stressing that this could only be done through support from Nigerians.

    He said: “For every penny you pay to Air Peace, you pay to sustain the jobs of thousands of Nigerians and support economic growth.

    “Air Peace flies you from any of our domestic routes to London. So, you can fly from Yola to London via Lagos. From the local airport, you are taken to the international airport free of charge with a seamless luggage transfer.”

    He pledged that the airline would continue to fully adhere to the standard of safety and lauded the management and staff of Air Peace for their efforts in realising the London dream.

  • Feature: Proposed Coherent Transport Policy for Nigeria

    Feature: Proposed Coherent Transport Policy for Nigeria

    By Ayo Akinfe

    Nigeria appears to be cobbling together aviation and railway programmes but to be successful they need to be part of a coherent transport policy that looks like this

    [1] A high speed rail network to be constructed across the country over the next 20 years linking all 36 states

    [2] Road maintenance will to be given to the states. The Federal Ministry of Works will ensure funds are disbursed to state governments to cater for stretches that fall within their domains

    [3] From henceforth, the Federal Ministry of Works will only be responsible for road construction. Once the road is commissioned, maintenance will be handed over to state governors

    [4] We will establish a Nigerian Waterways Management Agency that will be responsible for marine transport. They will dredge the Rivers Niger and Benue and all adjoining rivers such as River Kaduna and create a national maritime network

    [5] All states will be required to establish a state-wide bus service in which the state government will hold a minority stake of no more than 25%. This programme will include establishing bus manufacturing plants, which triple deckers becoming a Nigerian specialty

    [6] The federal government will hold a 20% stake in the national railway, maritime, coach and bus services

    [7] Currently, 90% of journeys in Nigeria are carried out by road. By 2035, we hope to reduce this to 40% by moving passengers on to trains and waterways

    [8] All freight operators who move their goods on to rail and waterways will get a 20% discount over the next 10 years

    [9] Any urban centre with a population in excess of 2m people will be compelled by law to establish a light railway network at the very least

    [10] A national travel card scheme will be launched, which enables users to travel on state and federal coaches, buses, trains and marine transport

  • Feature: FG needs to back up Air Peace with a robust Aviation Policy

    Feature: FG needs to back up Air Peace with a robust Aviation Policy

    by Ayo Akinfe

    To turn Air Peace’s recent success into a long term sustainable cash cow, Nigeria’s government needs to back it up with a robust aviation policy

    [1] When you have a population of 200m, are located in the middle of your continent and your populace loves travelling, you should have one of the most lucrative aviation industries in the world. Indeed, Nigeria should be an African aviation hub

    [2] Nigeria is a currently a mono-economy. When 95% of government revenue comes from crude oil sales, we have no choice other then to look for alternative sources of income if we do not want to perish as a people

    [3] By my calculations, Nigeria needs to find an additional $30bn annually from alternative sources and for me, aviation has got to be one of the cash cows at the top of the list. Why? Because it is a readily available resource, there is a ready-made market available and we actually have the expertise to deliver on it

    [4] In 2019, just before Covid, Ethiopian Airlines generated revenue of about $4bn. A well-run Nigerian national carrier with several different facets targeted at the diverse sectors of the market could easily double that. It simply has to be a goal we set ourselves

    [5] Air Peace has stepped into the void created by the lack of a Nigerian national carrier. The Lagos to London flights have created panic among exploitative operators like BA and Virgin, forcing them to slash their fares in response

    [6] To make sure things stay this way, we need laws pegging the cost of the London-Lagos route to that of the London-New York route. Both are the same distance, take the same amount of time and possess the same large volume of passengers

    [7] One area where we can develop a unique niche in which we are the global market leader is the private jet sector. There are about 12 jets in the presidential fleet and most of our general overseers own at least one Gulfstream or Bombardier private jet. If we start off with a fleet of say 20 donated private jets and buy an existing couple of airlines with a combined capacity of say 100 planes, we are good to go

    [8] Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation, in the centre of the continent and the seventh most populated country on earth. We simply have to turn the nation into an aviation hub where everybody flies through when they want to travel to the African continent

    [9] Over the long term, if Air Peace wants to compete with the likes of KLM, Lufthansa, Emirates, BA, Virgin, Air France, etc globally, it needs to become acquisitive. Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Egypt Air, Ghanaian Airways, etc, all need to be in its sights

    [10] A well-run Nigerian airline could easily replace oil as our national cash cow. Figures do not lie so if you look at the revenue generated by major airlines prior to Covid-19, you will realise that our obsession with oil is nothing but a mental illness of sorts. See – Delta Airlines ($44.9bn), American Airlines ($44.5bn), Lufthansa ($42.3bn), Air France ($31.3bn). Our fixation with crude is just psychological

  • Feature: Now that Air Peace has stepped into the National Carrier void, next is Shipping

    Feature: Now that Air Peace has stepped into the National Carrier void, next is Shipping

    Now that we appear to have addressed the national carrier matter with Air Peace stepping into the void, we need to turn our attention to sorting out shipping next

    Ayo Akinfe

    [1] We all know we can trust Allen Onyema to make a success of his presence in the international aviation arena. In 10 years time, I expect Air Peace to be competing with the likes of Emirates, KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin, etc

    [2] We now have a national carrier that will deal with passengers but to get Nigeria’s economy going, we also need a functioning shipping line to deal with freight too. How else are we going to export all the goods that we plan to manufacture?

    [3] Maybe the first part of this plan should be the development, dredging and expanding the ports of Aiyetoro in Ondo State, Warri, Escarvos and Burutu in Delta State, Brass in Bayelsa State, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Ikot-Abasi in Akwa Ibom State and Calabar in Cross River State

    [4] We then need to create a private sector shipping line. Maybe companies that manufacture goods like Dangote Industries, Innoson Motors and the Ibeto Group should be the original stakeholders in the project

    [5] Our next task will then be attracting shipbuilders and ship breakers into Nigeria. It is highly embarrassing that Nigeria does not have one shipyard. How can a nation have 800km of coastline and not even one boatyard? We need to also attract container manufacturers

    [6] Gboyega Oyetola, our minister of marine and blue economy then needs to establish a Nigerian Coastguard Service. It should be their job to patrol our waterways and combat criminal acts like piracy, oil theft, arms smuggling, etc

    [7] This ministry would also be handed the responsibility for eliminating gas-flaring in the Niger Delta. Its mandate should be to attract companies to build gas-fired power stations in the region. I want to see one or two companies also given contracts to build a massive Nigerian gas pipe network to distribute its products to every home in the country

    [8] Our Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy should also be responsible for expanding trade with central Africa. It should expand the coastal ports and have daily shipping services to places like Yaoundé, Douala, Libreville, Gaborone, Malabo, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Luanda, etc

    [9] Mr Oyetola’s ministry should also build a six lane motorway linking Ikot Nakanda in Cross River State with Cameroon. At the moment, if you want to drive into Cameroon you have to go all the way up to Ikom in central Cross River State. Along the coastline, if you want to cross the border, embarrassingly, you need to go by boat

    [10] Ultimately, what we need is a West African Maritime Transportation Company to dominates the Ecowas market. It should have a cargo shipping arm and a passenger service. We should aim to build it up into a global shipping company that can compete with the big boys like Maersk, Hyundai, Hapag-Lloyd, Cosco, CMA-CGM, etc

  • NETSCOUT: Avoiding poor user experience during Easter travel across Africa and beyond

    NETSCOUT: Avoiding poor user experience during Easter travel across Africa and beyond

    Aviation in Africa is back on the rise, closely following global trends, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) noting that passenger traffic in Africa at the end of 2023 had reached around 101 percent of 2019 levels. In 2024, it is expected to grow to 105 percent of 2019 levels. Northern and Eastern Africa are expected to lead the continent in traffic recovery this year, according to the IATA, set to reach over 103 and 102 percent of 2019 levels respectively.

    For the upcoming Easter holidays, several countries within Africa are high on the priority list as desirable Easter destinations for many European travellers. However, this increase in air travel raises concern over the challenges commonly associated with busy travel periods – particularly as the aviation industry faces pressure to maintain peak performance.

    Flight delays now exceed pre-pandemic levels in some countries, with only 64 percent of flights departing or arriving within 15 minutes of their scheduled time in the United Kingdom, for instance. These delays stem from various issues like air traffic control disruptions, system failures, staff shortages and strikes. Easter travel may indeed worsen these issues, causing sudden cancellations and leaving passengers stranded.

    The aviation industry depends heavily on digital networks and applications for tasks like providing departure information, issuing updates and inspecting luggage. Unexpected network downtime can significantly impact airlines, resulting in excessive costs ranging from $10 to $150 million depending on the incident and impact.

    “The African aviation sector has evolved tremendously over the past decade, harnessing technologies including generative AI to better serve customers,” states Bryan Hamman, regional director for Africa at NETSCOUT. “And because of this increasing digitalisation, it makes sense that the local industry must place a strong focus on cybersecurity, protecting itself from an increasing number of cyberattacks on the region that could potentially negatively impact air transport.”

    Sanjay Radia, chief solutions architect at NETSCOUT highlights the importance of maintaining aviation systems to mitigate the risk of downtime during peak travel periods:

    “When travelling over the holidays, passengers expect punctuality. Airlines can’t afford any interruptions. However, when system failures affect airlines and air traffic control, administrators must implement downtime to resolve the issue – disrupting vital processes and potentially bringing operations to a standstill. The resulting delays can cause confusion and stress for passengers.

    “Airlines and airport operators need robust strategies to mitigate this risk. Poor visibility in digital environments can be detrimental, as minor network or application issues can be unintentionally overlooked, turning into bigger issues that wreak havoc at the worst possible times. By deploying intelligent, scalable deep packet inspection tools, airlines can pre-empt and pinpoint the root cause of even the most complex performance issues, accelerate resolution processes and minimise the passenger impact.

    “During any travel surge, the aviation sector has a huge opportunity to showcase the strength of its operations, so peak application and network performance are crucial. Proactively monitoring for issues allows organisations to prioritise the passenger experience, gain a competitive edge and ensure business continuity.”

  • IWD: SIFAX Group Shares Food Items to 500 Ijora Residents

    IWD: SIFAX Group Shares Food Items to 500 Ijora Residents

    About 500 residents of the Ijora community in Lagos have benefitted from free food items donated by SIFAX Group, a leading business conglomerate with business interests in maritime, aviation, oil & gas, financial services, and hospitality.

    The donation is part of the activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration.

    According to Mrs. Wunmi Eniola-Jegede, Executive Director, Business Development & Strategic Planning, the current economic reality and the need to identify with Christian and Muslim faithful in one of the company’s host communities made the donation imperative and timely.

    She said: “SIFAX Group has a reputation of supporting worthy causes across the country, especially in areas where we have operations. In the spirit of International Women’s Day and to support citizens who are currently fasting – Christians and Muslims – we decided to share these food items to indigent residents of Ijora. In a nutshell, it’s a way of giving back to the society and the community where we operate.”

    She also used the opportunity to show appreciation for the community and the cooperation that has been extended to the company’s various businesses operating in the community.

    While commending the company for the kind gesture, the Ojora of Ijoraland, Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Ojora lauded SIFAX Group for bringing smiles to his indigent subjects, adding that the community will continue to support the company’s operations. He later prayed for the continuous progress of the company.

  • SAHCO PLC Appoints Adegbesan as Director of Finance & Admin and Adekunle as General Manager, Cargo Services

    SAHCO PLC Appoints Adegbesan as Director of Finance & Admin and Adekunle as General Manager, Cargo Services

    The Board of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC, has confirmed the appointment of Adegbesan Abiodun as Executive Director of Finance and Administration.

    Adegbesan Abiodun Olugbenga is a highly accomplished seasoned professional in the realms of Accounting and Finance, boasting a wealth of qualifications and a career spanning over thirty years. The foundation for his career commenced with a BSc (Hons) in Accounting from the University of Ilorin in 1989, followed by an MBA in Finance from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in 2008.

     Additionally, his fellowship statuses in prestigious professional bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCIT), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Diplomacy and Management (CIPDM) alongside certifications as a Chartered Certified Forensic Investigator (CCPI) and Chartered Certified Forensic Accountant (CCrFA), attest to his commitment to continuous learning and development.

    Throughout his career, Adegbesan has held pivotal roles, notably at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria in the Directorate of Finance and Accounts where he served as General Manager of Credit Control and General Manager of Budget. In addition, he handled a lot of assignments in resolving Inter-Agency issues and Revenue improvement and cost effectiveness.

    These positions demanded exceptional proficiency in financial management, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. His adeptness in navigating both public and private sectors, demonstrated by his earlier role with the Great Commission Movement of Nigeria as a Management Accountant, underscores his role versatile capabilities.

    Adegbesan’s professional acumen is complemented by his interpersonal finesse, evident in his adeptness at fostering relationships with stakeholders and his aptitude for problem solving and process improvement.

    By this appointment, Adegbesan is to oversee both the Finance department and Admin department of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC.

    Similarly, Donald Adekunle has been appointed as the General Manager, Cargo Services, having served with Emirates Airlines for 17 years as Cargo Manager, Nigeria.

    He is a graduate of the University of Agriculture, Markurdi with a degree in Food Technology and Masters degree in Business Administration and Human Resources from the University of Ado Ekiti. 

    With a strong leadership skills and ability to manage teams for result stems from his educational background. Along with specialized training programs like Project Management from Regenesys Business School (South Africa) (2022), a PG Diploma in Supply Chain Management from Westford University College, Dubai (2020), and a Senior Management Program (SMP17) at the Lagos Business School, Lagos.

    Donald has an outstanding career spanning more than 26 years in the air freight and logistics space. He is widely regarded as a model professional in this area due to his unwavering commitment to the intricacies of managerial oversight, strategic planning, and general cargo operations. By this appointment, he is responsible for spearheading the advancement of airfreight within the Import and Export cargo operations at SAHCO.

    SAHCO is an Aviation Ground Handling company, offering services in Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo Handling and Warehousing, Aviation security, Baggage Reconciliation, Crew Bus and Executive Lounge services and other related Ground Handling services.

  • NAMA Applauds Minister Keyamo’s Vision for Nigerian Aviation Industry

    NAMA Applauds Minister Keyamo’s Vision for Nigerian Aviation Industry

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) proudly acknowledges the visionary roadmap outlined by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), for the advancement of the Nigerian aviation industry. Under his leadership, the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and the invitation to private investors in France to participate in this transformative endeavour has been emphasized.

    Minister Keyamo appealed this while leading a high-powered Nigerian delegation on a four-day bilateral working visit to France. Dubbed the Nigeria France Bilateral Business Forum, the visit aims to strengthen cooperation and explore business opportunities in the aviation sector between both nations.

    Accompanied by esteemed CEOs and directors from various Nigerian aviation agencies, including our very own Managing Director, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, MD of FAAN, and Capt. Chris Najomo, Acting Director General of NCAA, the delegation embarked on a comprehensive aviation business exploration across key cities including Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, and Orly.

    The bilateral business meeting commenced with Minister Keyamo meeting with the Director General of French Civil Aviation, Damien Caze, and his team. Minister Keyamo presented a compelling roadmap for the Nigerian aviation industry, emphasizing the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and inviting private investors to participate in this endeavor.

    During the session, stakeholders from the Nigerian delegation, including MDs of NAMA and FAAN, as well as the acting DG of NCAA, delivered insightful presentations on topics ranging from aircraft financing and insurance to the modernization of navigational equipment and capacity-building initiatives.

    French aviation stakeholders, including PROAVIA, ASTech Paris Region, and BPI France, expressed keen interest in partnering with Nigeria, acknowledging the country’s vast potential in the aviation industry. Vice President of AerCap, Gad Wavomba, also pledged to explore business opportunities with Nigeria, citing the country’s attractiveness for investment.

    Following the meetings in Paris, the delegation will proceed to Marseille, visit the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, and conclude business discussions in Orly with an audience with Thales’ management.

    Minister Keyamo expressed optimism about the outcomes of the visit, stating, “We are confident that this bilateral engagement will pave the way for fruitful collaborations and investment opportunities in Nigeria’s aviation industry.”

  • Feature: Make Air Peace a runway success as our National Carrier

    Feature: Make Air Peace a runway success as our National Carrier

    This time around, Nigerians need to make a solemn pledge to not only make Air Peace a runaway success as our national carrier but also a major cash cow of our economy

    Ayo Akinfe

    [1] When you have a population of 200m, are located bang in the middle of your continent and your populace love travelling, you should have a one of the most lucrative aviation industries in the world. Indeed, Nigeria should be an African aviation hub

    [2] Nigeria is a currently a mono-economy. When 95% of government revenue comes from crude oil sales, we have no choice other then to look for alternative sources of income if we do not want to perish as a people

    [3] By my calculations, Nigeria needs to find something like $30bn from alternative sources during the course of 2024 and for me, aviation has got to be one of the cash cows at the top of the list. Why? Because it is a readily available resource, there is a ready-made market available and we actually have the expertise to deliver on it

    [4] In 2019, Ethiopian Airlines generated revenue of about $4bn. A well-run Nigerian national carrier with several different facets targeted at the diverse sectors of the market could easily double that. It simply has to be a goal we set ourselves

    [5] For starters, analysts believe something like 60% of the world’s airlines will go bust as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This means a lot of them are available on the cheap, so Nigeria should be looking to purchase at least two going concerns and merge them with Air Peace into one aviation giant with a global reach

    [6] One area where we can develop a unique niche in which we are the global market leader is the private jet sector. There are about 12 jets in the presidential fleet and most of our general overseers own at least one Gulfstream or Bombardier private jet. I think the presidency should donate its planes to this new carrier and the pastorprueners should be patriotic and do likewise. The donating of their aircrafts to the venture should purchase them a stake in the airline. For instance, if David Oyedepo hands over his five private jets, that should grant him a 10% stake in this new company

    [7] If we start off with a fleet of say 20 donated private jets and buy an existing couple of airlines with a combined capacity of say 100 planes, we are good to go. That recent $3.4bn loan we got from the IMF should be enough to fund this project and get the venture going. With the dire straits these airlines are in, they will happily hand over their assets for anything they can get

    [8] Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy, she is located in the centre of the continent and is the seventh most populated country on earth. We simply have to turn the nation into an aviation hub where everybody flies through when they want to travel to the African continent. We have the potential to generate the passenger volume to make this a gold mine

    [9] We are all aware of how our people ruined Nigeria Airways, so as a safeguard, we should insist that any deal involves the professional managers of any purchased airline running the operation for the next 10 years at least. We should also insist that the Nigerian government has no more than a 25% stake in the venture and that private sector operators like Allen Onyeama are Nigeria’s representatives on the board of directors

    [10] A well run Nigerian airline could easily replace oil as our national cash cow. Figures do not lie, si if you look at the revenue generated by major airlines prior to the coronavirus pandemic, you will realise that our obsession with oil is nothing but a mental illness of sorts. See – Delta Airlines ($44.9bn), American Airlines ($44.5bn), Lufthansa ($42.3bn), Air France ($31.3bn). Our fixation with crude is just psychological, kind of like the fear of the unknown.

  • Feature: Introduction of Air Peace to London should lead to a Radical Aviation Programme

    Feature: Introduction of Air Peace to London should lead to a Radical Aviation Programme

    By Ayo Akinfe

    This introduction of Air Peace flights to London should be used as a catalyst to introduce a radical aviation programme centred around opening an MRO facility and floating a national carrier

    [1] If Nigeria was a country that had any shame, we would be eternally embarrassed about the fact that the country does not have a single aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility

    [2] MRO is an essential requirement to ensure that aircraft are maintained in pre-determined conditions of airworthiness to safely transport passengers and cargo. Airlines go through regular rigorous checks just as cars have to have an MOT every year to prove they are roadworthy

    [3] What this means in practical terms is that whenever any aircraft lands in Nigeria, it leaves immediately to be maintained elsewhere. In plain language – There is no aircraft mechanic workshop in the whole of Nigeria

    [4] Globally, the commercial aircraft MRO market is influenced by external factors in the wider air transport industry including global fleet size, aircraft utilisation and increasing and decreasing air traffic volumes for both passengers and cargo

    [5] In 2015, the global MRO market was worth $135.1bn, representing three quarters of the $180.3bn aircraft production market

    [6] Over the 2017–2026 decade, it is expected that the MRO market worldwide should reach over $900bn, with 23% in North America, 22% in Western Europe and 19% in Asia Pacific

    [7] In 2018, the commercial aviation industry expended $88bn on MRO, while military aircraft spent $79.6bn, including field maintenance

    [8] Across Africa, the only MRO providers are South African Airways Technical (Saat), Ethiopian Airlines Maintenance and Engineering, Kenya Airways Technical, Air Algerie Technics and Tunisair Technics. There are also joint ventures such as Air France Industries’ and Royal Air Maroc’s Aerotechnic Industries

    [9] Given how centrally located Nigeria is in Africa, the fact that Nigerians are the continents most travelled people and being the largest economy, we should be Africa’s aviation workshop, generating at least $20bn a year from MRO

    [10] For me, Lagos, Abuja and Calabar, the gateway to east and central Africa, should all be major MRO and aviation hubs. Our aviation policy should be geared towards making them massive depots where airlines bring their planes from all across Africa

  • SAHCO PLC emerges Best Air Cargo Operations Handler of the YearSAHCO PLC emerges Best Air Cargo Operations Handler of the Year

    SAHCO PLC emerges Best Air Cargo Operations Handler of the YearSAHCO PLC emerges Best Air Cargo Operations Handler of the Year

    Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC has been voted the best Air Cargo Operations Handler of the Year at the 13th edition of the Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Awards in recognition of SAHCO’s consistent quality Ground Handling service deliveries to her numerous clients.

    The NIGAV Award is a celebration of aviation excellence with an objective to unify and create industry harmony. It is also aimed at engineering healthy competition for safer air service delivery and promotion of development in the air transport community.

    The event was attended by the crème de la crème of the aviation industry including the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr. Festus Keyamo.

    Speaking during the Award presentation, Chairman/Chief host of NIGAV Awards, Mr. Fortune Idu, said The NIGAV Awards are considered Nigeria’s most prestigious air transport awards, which has become a hallmark of industry inspiration and motivation, recognizing outstanding   contribution in all areas of air transport development operations, services, technologies, leadership, management, promotions and creativity. He stressed that winners emerge without any form of inducement but strictly through public voting. He praised SAHCO for always ensuring quality, speedy and efficient services to clients by deploying an arsenal of modern Ground Support Equipment and always rendering services that are of international standards.

    While accepting the award, SAHCO’s Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Adenike Aboderin, who was represented by Mrs. Vanessa Uansohia, Head, Corporate Communications, said this award will spur SAHCO’s commitment to always deliver quality services to her numerous clients in addition to exceeding clients’ expectations. She thanked the organizers for nominating SAHCO and extended her appreciation to voters who voted for SAHCO.

    According to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barr Festus Keyamo who was the Special Guest of Honour  at the event said, “ The Nigeria Aviation Award, NIGAV Award, recognizes and rewards the positive contributions of all, from the highest ranking staff of the ministry to the most junior officers in the various subunits of the aviation industry-airports, airlines, airspace, weather, aviation training, insurance, contractors, consultants etc, your contributions to safer air transportation cannot be ignored and your hard work and patriotism is highly appreciated.”

    It is worthy noting that SAHCO is RA3 Certified which is a requirement for Ground Handling Companies to confirm that they meet the security requirement for screening air cargo and mail entering European countries, also SAHCO is IATA’s Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certified, International Organization for Standardization (ISO 9001:2015) certified for Quality Management system amongst other certifications.  

    SAHCO is a Publicly Listed Aviation Ground Handling Service provider that is present in all the commercially operated Airports in Nigeria and is involved in activities that includes Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo Handling and Warehousing, Aviation Security, VIP Lounge services amongst other aviation related services.

  • Emirates named Global Airline Partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup

    Emirates named Global Airline Partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup

    …Emirates’ global sponsorship portfolio includes partnerships with top sporting clubs, tournaments, high-profile cultural events, and more

    NBA In-Season Tournament Renamed Emirates NBA Cup; Emirates Becomes First-Ever Referee Jersey Patch Partner of the NBA.

    Emirates and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a multiyear global marketing partnership naming Emirates the Official Global Airline Partner of the NBA.  The collaboration also makes Emirates the inaugural title partner of the NBA Cup, previously named the NBA In-Season Tournament, as well as the first-ever referee jersey patch partner of the NBA.

    As the first title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup, the global airline will be featured through a co-branded Emirates NBA Cup event logo, with co-branded promotion planned across the NBA’s global social media community and in-arena signage throughout the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinal and Championship games starting next season.

    The Emirates logo will also be featured on all NBA referee jerseys, starting with the 2024 NBA All-Star Game taking place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 8:00 p.m. ET (Monday, Feb. 19 at 3 a.m. CAT) on ESPN and Canal+. 

    “We are proud to establish a global marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association to become its Official Global Airline Partner,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group Chairman and Chief Executive.  “This collaboration will also see Emirates become the league’s first referee jersey patch partner and the inaugural title partner of the NBA Cup.  With basketball’s popularity around the world, we are excited to work with one of the most globally recognized and prestigious professional leagues.  The NBA is a valuable addition to our sponsorship portfolio as it allows us to connect with a vast global fanbase, including in the U.S., where the game is an integral part of the country’s sport culture.”

    “Emirates is a world-class airline that shares our commitment to engaging fans around the world in new and creative ways,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, Mark Tatum.  “As basketball continues to be recognized as the fastest growing sport globally, this collaboration will showcase the excitement of the NBA to the millions of people who fly Emirates every year.”

    The sponsorship will also allow Emirates to enjoy a presence at other marquee league events, including as a partner of NBA Crossover – an immersive fan event at NBA All-Star – and as the presenting partner of the NBA Finals Legacy Project, which features the dedication of new NBA Cares Live, Learn, or Play Centers in each NBA Finals team market.  Emirates branding will also be visible through virtual in-arena signage and on top of the backboard during nationally televised NBA games, beginning with the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

    Emirates will engage NBA fans around the world as a partner of select preseason and regular-season NBA Global Games and through the league’s interactive fan events, including “NBA District” and “NBA House.”

    Fans will have the opportunity to watch NBA content on all Emirates flights via the airline’s inflight entertainment system, including long-form documentaries, player profiles, interviews and more. 

    The marketing partnership will also allow basketball fans to purchase a wide range of official NBA merchandise, including basketballs, sportswear and vintage collectibles, with co-branded collaborations to follow later this year.  The merchandise will be sold at the official Emirates Store at Emirates’ Headquarters in Dubai and online at www.Emirates.store, which delivers worldwide.  Emirates Skywards members can also redeem Miles to purchase items from the exciting range.

    Emirates’ patch will also be featured on the jerseys for all referees in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), beginning with the 2025 season, and NBA G League, the official minor league of the NBA, beginning with the 2024-25 season.

    The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana and reach fans in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages on television, digital media and social media.

    Emirates has been a longstanding supporter of basketball in the region for almost 30 years, helping to connect with avid fans of the popular sport in the UAE and Lebanon, and providing a platform to highlight the best and brightest stars.

    Emirates’ global sponsorship portfolio includes partnerships with top sporting clubs, tournaments, high-profile cultural events, and more.  Emirates’ association with NBA will support the airline’s efforts to reach a huge fanbase in the U.S. and worldwide through a shared passion for the sport of basketball. 

    Emirates currently offers services to 12 U.S. gateways, including Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD), Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Miami International Airport (MIA) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).

  • Niger remains a no-fly zone to all commercial flights

    Niger remains a no-fly zone to all commercial flights

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has resolved that the Republic of Niger remains a no-fly zone after the coup d’état that took place on July 26, 2023

    Among the resolutions adopted during the summit, land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger is also closed.

    In retaliation to these measures, the Niger government suspended flights into Nigeria and overflying planes. Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development issued a directive to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on August 2, 2023. This directive instructed NAMA to issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) effective from August 3, 2023, enforcing the no-fly zone on all commercial flights between Niger and Nigeria.

    As of 0600 UTC on August 3, 2023, aircraft departing from or arriving at aerodromes within the Niamey Flight Information Region (FIR-Nigerien Airspace) were prohibited from entering Kano FIR until further notice.

    Following standard procedures, the NOTAM transitioned into an Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) on January 29, 2024. The AIC reiterated the suspension of all commercial flights between Niger and Nigeria, as well as flights overflying Nigeria to Niger. However, certain exemptions were outlined, including over-flight aircraft passing through Niger airspace, aircraft in a state of emergency, and special flights. It is important to note that special flights require authorization from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

    It is crucial to highlight that the suspension of flights can only be lifted by the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aero Space Development as approved by the Presidency and ECOWAS.

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of airspace users, in compliance with international regulations and directives.

  • SIFAX Group Consortium to Collaborate with FG, LASG on Aviation Development

    SIFAX Group Consortium to Collaborate with FG, LASG on Aviation Development

    SIFAX Group and its aviation partner, Changi Airports International from Singapore have opened discussions on strategic collaboration with the Federal Government and Lagos State government to develop the country’s aviation sector.

    SIFAX Group, through one of its subsidiaries, SAHCO Plc, is already a major player in the aviation ground handling space. However, the consortium is looking to explore more business prospects in the sector such as aviation terminal management, airline management and development and other ancillary services.

    In various meetings recently with the Vice President, Kasim Shettima, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, the Group reiterated its commitment to the development of Nigeria’s aviation sector, explaining that the company has the capacity to contribute substantially to the growth of the sector, which will positively impact the nation in terms of job creation, tourism development and economic growth.

    Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman of the Consortium noted that SIFAX Group has a track record of turning around enterprises for profitability in Nigeria and beyond. Citing the example of SAHCO Plc which was carved out of the defunct Nigeria Airways and was concessioned to the Group in 2009, Afolabi noted that SIFAX Group has invested heavily in growing it to become the number one cargo handling company in West Africa, as well as being listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange.

    He said: “SAHCO is a very good example of the Group’s capacity and expertise in turning around enterprises for growth and profitability. Our port terminal, at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos is also another example we can reference to solidify our claims. It was in a bad shape when we won the concessioning in 2006 but years down the line, we are proud of the innovations we have introduced that has transformed the terminal to the leading indigenous terminal in the Lagos port.

    “We are also turning around the fortune of Warri Terminal B, in Warri, Delta State which was abandoned for years. All of these experiences and expertise alongside our technical partnership with Changi Airports International can be put at the disposal of the Federal Government and Lagos State government in their quests to float their respective airlines and the development and management of airport terminals across the country.”

    Roy Toh, Director, International Projects, Changi Airports International, said its partnership with SIFAX Group would enable the consortium to replicate what Changi Airports had done across the globe.

    He said: “The Singapore Airport is a global reference of how aviation terminal management can be done successfully. We hope to replicate our success here in Nigeria. This is why we have partnered with a company with a credible track record, SIFAX Group and we are open to collaboration with the government”.

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu lauded SIFAX Group for its various investments in the state that have contributed greatly to its economic growth, assuring that the state is open to partnering with the company.  

  • Adenike Aboderin appointed MD/CEO of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC

    Adenike Aboderin appointed MD/CEO of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC

    The Board of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) PLC, has confirmed the appointment of Adenike Aboderin as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer with effect from the 1st of February 2024.

    Mrs. Adenike Aboderin who is taking over from Basil Agboarumi due to the completion of his tenure is a seasoned finance professional with many years of Executive Leadership, Financial and Management experience in both Private and Public Sectors. Her skills include policy/strategy formulation, financial advisory, oil & gas, infrastructural, marine and transport development, business/risk management and public policy.

    She has held many Senior Executive Management positions in both the Public and Private sectors and until December 2023, she was the Director Finance and Accounts, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) where she managed the finance, accounts, credit control and budget directorate of the organization.

    In the Public sector, she worked as the Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Ogun State on Trade and Investments, and also oversaw the state’s Economic Planning Department between 2011 and 2014. Mrs. Aboderin has huge interests in Manufacturing, Transportation, Investments and Social Development. In 2015, she had the responsibility of being the Chairman Sub – Committee on Social issues of the Presidential Transition Committee

    Prior to her public service engagements, she held different senior management position at Skye Bank Plc (now Polaris Bank Limited), Citibank Nigeria, Premium Securities Limited and Commerce Bank, in a banking career that spanned over 20 years. In Banking and Financial Advisory, she led various teams and groups in the following sectors of the economy – Trading, Investment, Manufacturing, Commodities, Marine, Oil & Gas, Transport and Steel. She was also a Consulting Partner at Novateur Consulting Limited, a financial advisory firm and has held positions on various boards.

    Mrs. Aboderin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB); Fellow, Association of National Accountant of Nigeria (FCNA) and an AMPAP Certified International Airport Professional (IAP).

    She has attended postgraduate courses in Global Strategic Management (GSM) at the Harvard Business School, an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) at the Lagos Business School, and several other courses covering Trade, investment, Energy and Infrastructure Financing, Credit, Risk, Treasury, Transaction Banking, Operations, Sales and Marketing. She is presently pursuing another Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the University of Sussex, UK.

    She is a motivator with high proficiency in business and transportation, marine, energy management, policy formulation and strategic thinking. She is passionate about industrialization and job creation, and continuously strives to proffer solutions to the Nigeria’s development, social and unemployment issues.

    SAHCO is an Aviation Ground Handling company, offering services in Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo Handling and Warehousing, Aviation security, Baggage Reconciliation, Crew Bus and Executive Lounge services and other related Ground Handling services.