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SAHCOL Operates Best Ground Handling Equipment in Nigeria- Owolabi
The Skypower Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL), a member of the Sifax Group, currently operates the best ground handling equipment (GHE) in the Nigerian market, according to Mr Olu Owolabi, the managing director.
Owolabi made the remark while speaking with newsmen at SAHCOL’s new headquarters in Lagos, adding that with the state-or-the-art equipment the Company handles, on the domestic scene, almost 80% of the airlines.
While on the international, “we have 40% of the business”, he said.
The MD said in spite the acquisition of sophisticated equipment, the SAHCOL is not satisfied, as it moves to improve and expand on its service delivery.
He said, “We have the best ground handling equipment so far in the country. We are however not satisfied yet, because the more we improve and expand on our service delivery, the more we will need to acquire additional equipment to meet up with the demand of our clients. The type of equipment we use, are not the type you buy and keep. The more the need arises, the more equipment we add.
“As regarding our customer base, in this business you gain some and lose some. That is the game. I can assure you that those we handle enjoy our services very well. We look forward for more customers in 2015. Our customers come first in our in our line of thought before any other thing. So far, on the domestic scene we handle almost 80 per cent of the airlines while on the international we have 40 per cent of the business.
In view of the peculiarity of the industry, Owolabi advised the Federal Authorities to find ways of ending Double Taxations as sure way to help players succeed.
“It had always been serious issue which has not been resolved, but I understand that presentation has been made to the new Minister of Aviation, who has passed it to a committee to look into it and make appropriate recommendations.
“I am very positive that government will look into it and out ways to assist us. All the multi-million Naira equipment we invested and pay duties on are stationed at on the tarmac for our operations and cannot be parked on the street, yet we are still being billed by FAAN.
“Do you expect us to take our equipment like the FMC to the street? Government meant well for the industry when it said it was embarking on the upgrading of airports and at the same time, it should be supportive when handling companies are buying new equipment to be able to facilitate passengers and airlines needs.
“So, I sincerely belief that since airlines are enjoying zero tariff on aircraft spare parts, the same should be extended to handling companies on the equipment being imported by giving us duty free on spare parts. We have been agitating on this for long.
On Cargo Freighting & Passengers Facilitating, he said, “Facilitation go side by side with cargo handling depending on which side you want to focus and depending on the type of facilities that is provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria [FAAN]-our landlord and what we’ve been able to do to compliment government as one of the handling agents in the country.
“In terms of cargo handling, we are almost at the tail end of completion of our multi-million Naira bonded warehouse project which is going to be the best, not only in West Africa, but also in the whole of Africa in terms of facilities being provided.
“We sincerely hope that the government will be able to assist us in implementing the rules that govern the procedures of all of these issues that necessitated the closure of warehouses of handling companies recently for almost three weeks thereby making us lose billions of Naira in the process on both sides including us, the handling companies.
“Don’t forget that we have to engage extra hands to handle security aspects of peoples’ baggage. On cargo that litters the tarmac, we have to work extra hours with the men of the Nigeria Customs Service to decongest the tarmac because of the small size of the apron where the cargo freighters are parked. So, it’s a lot of workload”.
On passengers facilitation, the MD said, if the conveyor belts are not working or are not good, passengers do not want to know whether or not it’s SAHCOL’s responsibility. “So, we have to go extra length by doubling our staff on shift to meet the challenges. Don’t forget that we also pay overtime allowances to our staff for working extra hours to be able to meet passengers
On opening the SAHCOL new magnificent warehouse, he said that before the end of February 2015, “we will start the test running of the facilities provided in the warehouse. The type of facilities there are a complete village on its own. We are looking at March 2015 for the formal opening of the new warehouse”.
He added that, although in the provision of security gadgets to deter and detects dangerous ‘terrorists’ tools such as guns, bombs and other explosive materials is that of the governments, on its part, SAHCOL assist the government in the provision of X-ray machines, for the screening of exports and imports. It is therefore the job of of the Customs to screen all in-bound and outbound goods.
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The .ng domain name, Nigeria’s country code top-level domain (ccTLD), is the nation’s critical resource in the digital space, says Adesola Akinsanya, the president of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).
Akintola Owolabi, Professor of Cost and Management Accounting at Lagos Business School (front – third from left; Adesola Akinsanya, the president of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) (Front – fourth from right), flanked by members of EBOD and Management Team of NiRA during a training programme at LBS.
The .ng domain extension is unique to Nigeria, and it can give businesses a strong local identity.
This can help establish trust with customers, which is especially important for businesses that rely on local customers.
Mr. Akinsanya made the comments at NiRA Executive Board of Directors (EBOD) and Management Training held at the Lagos Business School (LBS).
The NiRA Executive Board and Management Training at LBS spanned a series of intensive interactive sessions designed to address critical challenges and opportunities in the digital domain.
The training program emphasized the importance of strategic vision, ethical decision-making, and resilience in the face of digital disruptions.
Participants gained insights into global best practices in digital governance, risk management, and leveraging digital technologies for business growth and societal impact.
Mr. Akinsanya, highlighted the significance of the collaboration with LBS, stating, “The NiRA EBOD/Management Training at LBS underscores our commitment to fostering a robust digital ecosystem in Nigeria. It equips leaders with the expertise to address complex digital challenges especially in accounting and financial management while harnessing the immense opportunities of the digital age.”
The program featured distinguished speakers, industry practitioners, and faculty members from LBS, providing a holistic learning experience enriched with real-world case studies and practical insights.
Participants commended the program for its relevance, depth of content, and interactive learning approach, noting its immediate applicability to their roles and responsibilities.
The NiRA EBOD Training at LBS represents a milestone in advancing digital leadership and governance in Nigeria.
“By equipping leaders with cutting-edge knowledge and strategic insights, the program contributes to building a resilient and innovative digital ecosystem that drives sustainable growth and societal development, especially from NiRA perspective. We must fashion out ways of increasing .NG domain name adoption which is our national pride in the digital space”.
Speaking further on why Nigerians and businesses should adopt the .NG domain name, the NiRA president said, “.NG domain name gives your brand special recognition both on and offline.
“Using a .ng domain name can help your business stand out in the Nigerian and global market. It is a great way to differentiate your brand from competitors and establish a unique identity. A .ng domain name is easier to remember, which can make it more likely that customers will return to your website in the future”, he said.
“It instantly communicates to internet users that your business is located in Nigeria. This can be especially helpful if you operate in a niche or industry where location is important to customers”, the NiRA boss added.
He added that Google and other search engines prioritize local content in search results, hence using a .ng domain name can help improve your website’s search engine ranking for local searches.
Climate Action Africa (CAA), a leading advocate for climate resilience and sustainable development, has announced the opening of applications for the Deal Room at the 2024 Climate Action Africa Forum (CAAF24). The Deal Room is a groundbreaking platform that aims to connect high-impact climate innovators in Africa with potential investors seeking to accelerate sustainable solutions.
The CAAF Deal Room is a strategic initiative that aims to create opportunities for innovators in the climate-tech domain focusing on emission reduction, energy, agriculture, transportation, circular economy, and building and construction.
The goal of the Deal Room is to select finalists who will have the opportunity to pitch their innovative ideas and solutions at the upcoming 2024 Climate Action Africa Forum, which will be held on June 19th in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Deal Room aims to boost investments in Africa’s green economy by galvanising a community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to create applicable solutions that can mitigate the challenges of climate change on the African continent.
The Deal Room session will facilitate financing for solutions contributing to the growth and sustainability of Africa’s green economy. These deals may encompass prize money, equity plans, debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, and other investment options.
“Through the CAAF24 Deal Room, we aim to bridge the critical gap between promising climate ventures and the essential resources they need to thrive,” says Grace Oluchi Mbah, Co-founder and Executive Director of Climate Action Africa (CAA). “By facilitating connections between passionate entrepreneurs and dedicated investors, we can collectively unlock the immense potential of climate solutions in Africa.”
The eligibility criteria for applying include:
● The company must be African-owned and operate in any of the 54 African countries.
● It must be a for-profit company, between 1-5 years post-incorporation, post-MVP (minimum viable product), and post-GTM (go-to-market).
● The company should leverage digital technology to deliver its business model.
● Female ownership is an added advantage.
Those eligible to apply include venture capitalists, impact investors, climate tech startups, Green SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), philanthropic organisations, and government representatives.
Following the CAAF24 deal-room will be a post-event accelerator in partnership with the Silicon Valley-based Founder Institute and IDEA Africa. This Africa-wide initiative is specifically designed to further accelerate and enhance support for promising Climate Tech startups and founders who participated in the Deal Room.
The official unveiling of this accelerator will take place at the Climate Action Africa Forum 2024 (CAAF24), marking a significant step forward in driving Climate Tech innovations throughout Africa.
Applications for the CAAF24 Deal Room are open from April 22nd until May 17th. Interested applicants can register at https://deal.caaf.africa/register.
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has said that the government needs to simplify and harmonize trade procedures and address bottlenecks in order to boost economic growth in the country.
President of LCCI, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, gave the charge at a Quarterly media briefing on the State of the Economy yesterday in Lagos.
He said that the government has to create an atmosphere that promotes export growth and competitiveness, which is projected to boost export earnings, raise domestic revenue, improve citizens’ welfare, and increase business productivity.
“We recommend that reforms must include simplifying and harmonizing trade procedures as well as addressing bottlenecks such as port logistics, congestion, and transportation costs. This is expected to position the country as the commercial centre of the region and a springboard into regional value chains,” he stated.
On managing the persistent high inflation, the LCCI president said both monetary and fiscal authorities should focus on the factors driving the inflation rates by tackling the supply-side deficiencies instead of focusing too much attention on the demand-side management.
“We urge the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to continue with its foreign exchange (forex) market reforms with intense discipline, as the high exchange rate against the naira is a major driver of the skyrocketing inflation rates.”
Idahosa acknowledged the improvement in the naira exchange rate in the last few days, moving towards the level of N1000 per dollar or lower.
“CBN needs to sustain its policy and regulatory reforms in the FX market, adopt policies that would attract more FX inflow into the economy as well as build market confidence in the performance of the FX market,” he added.
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