NAHCO assures stakeholders, clients of improved services

By Innocent Obasi

The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc has pledged to enhance its working relationship with its clients and stakeholders by offering more up-to-date facilities and excellent customer care services.

The ground handler made the assurance during a recent customer appreciation event it organised in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Seinde Fadeni Oladapo, group chairman of NAHCO Plc, confirmed the many obstacles impeding the growth of the handling industry in Nigeria. He, however, reaffirmed NAHCO’s commitment to providing its clients and partners with high-quality, excellent service.

Fadeni emphasised that some of the difficulties faced by the airlines and clearing agents were beyond the control of the handling firm, promising, however, that NAHCO would work with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other significant stakeholders to address the bottlenecks in the sub-sector.

Additionally, he noted that part of NAHCO’s handling equipment was getting old, but that the current board of directors and management had approved spending N4 billion to upgrade the equipment, which would be delivered very soon.

“We are trying as much as possible to aggressively improve on the equipment, which we have at the moment. Some of our equipment is as old as 20 years and above. We are working hard to ensure that we serve our clients better,” Fadeni said.

“However, we know that we can’t have it all 100 percent, but we are consistently working to ensure we satisfy our customers. Today is the night of our customers. We know they are kings, and we have to treat them as such,” he stated.

On his part, Idranil Gupta, NAHCO’s Group managing director, said that the handling company broke ground on its export processing centre located at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Gupta said that the facility, which is planned to be a two-storey building, would soon undergo construction, adding that all the facilities there would be computerised for easy transactions.

The Group managing director assured the customers that the management would address their concerns regarding the monument gate, which had been secured for a number of years due to the country’s unstable security situation.

“On the monument gate, we understand your challenge as clearing agents, but we must also listen to the concerns of FAAN, too.

“I am sure FAAN doesn’t want to make life difficult for its clients. They know why they locked up the gate, but I can assure you that we will discuss with them soon,” Gupta said.

Saheed Lasisi, Group executive director, commercial and business development, NAHCO, disclosed that the company established a new desk tagged “Customer Experience” which has assisted in enhancing its client services, in an effort to obtain pertinent client feedback.

The event was attended by members representing several organisations including freight forwarders, AirFrance/KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Asky Rwanda, and Emirates.

Other clients and partners present included clearing agents, the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigerian Customs Service, FAAN, among others.

Some of the clients lauded NAHCO for making them their top priority and gave the company their confidence that they would keep doing business with the handling organisation.