Sade Williams/Business a.m.
Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance) has beefed up its arsenal of aviation handling facilities with the recent launch and deployment of a new batch of multi-million-dollar ground support equipment (GSE) for operational enhancement countrywide.
Seinde Oladapo Fadeni, chairman of the board of the publicly listed company, said at the official ceremony that it continues to be the plan of the board to ensure that the company boasts of more than adequate equipment by year end 2026.
Fadeni disclosed that the process for acquiring the new equipment started last year, but that the company had to endure delivery delays as the manufacturer had to finish production before shipping to Nigeria.
“The essence of these equipment is not just for the company alone or for the customers, it is also to make life easier for the workers. I can confirm to you that we have a lot in our cap, and we’re bringing them out one by one,” the chairman said.
Didier Stuellet, chief operating officer of the company, commended the chairman and the board for investing heavily in equipment for the company.
“It’s a huge investment. We’re talking about millions, not in naira, but in dollars, and so this is always difficult for the owners of a company like this, to make a decision like this; to take the best decision. This is the best decision for NAHCO,” the COO said.
He explained that it is also a clear message that the company will make complete refleeting of equipment happen in the long term, adding that NAHCO is more than halfway into that process. “We still have some equipment coming in the coming months and years,” he declared.
Charles Karinga, head of GSE, noted that the acquisition of nine brand new high loaders by NAHCO was a huge one in the history of Nigerian aviation and that not many ground handling service providers in the region could acquire so much equipment at the same time.
He described a high loader as a ground support equipment, equipped with a high-reach lift mechanism to load or unload items, cargo, food, drinks, cleared for air transportation.
“Buying this number of high loaders at this same time is not something that is normally done by many handlers in this clime because they are very expensive. This is the first time this would be happening,” Karinga stated.
The GSE manager also pointed out that the brand of the equipment deployed by the company is one of the very best in the industry and would serve the company and its airline clients for several years.
It would be recalled that at the launch of the GSE refleeting programme in 2024, chairman Fadeni said, “By 2026, we will have acquired all the necessary equipment to fully upgrade our fleet. This initial delivery marks the beginning of significant advancements for NAHCO and our operational practices. Despite unforeseen delays from manufacturers and port authorities, we have now initiated a consistent delivery schedule. This milestone signals the start of numerous positive transformations across various aspects of our business, including our workforce, facilities, and equipment.”
Since then, the company has taken delivery of new ground support equipment every quarter.
