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Tag: Nahco

  • Nahco to distribute N295.3m, 148m shares to shareholders

    Nahco to distribute N295.3m, 148m shares to shareholders

    Shareholders of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc would receive about N295.3 million and 147.7 million ordinary shares as combined cash and scrip dividends for the immediate past business year.

    According to dividend recommendation by the board, shareholders would receive a dividend per share of 20 kobo in addition to a bonus share of one ordinary share for every 10 shares held as at the scloure date.

    Shareholders of the company are getting this double return on investment even as the company is set to benefit from its free trade zone subsidiary, NAHCO FTZ, which  commenced operations last quarter of 2014 and is expected to begin to reap profits soon after significant investments in its development the past two years.

    NAHCO ended 2014 with a marginal increase in revenues of N8.133 billion, and profit after tax of N568 million, compared with N8.09 billion and N817 million in 2013 respectively.

    The company’s bottom line was affected by the three months Ebola virus scare which reduced the movement of passengers and cargo flights across West African airports by major international carriers, Nahco’s core customers. Also, the company’s ratios withered the general high cost of operations, the slowdown in the economy major macroeconomic volatility preceding the 2015 elections.

    The 2014 group was most impacted by pre-operating expenses and sunk cost  made in its free trade zone subsidiary reducing  its overall profitability and performance relative to 2013 results.

    Managing Director, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc, Mr Norbert Biedermann, noted in a statement that inspite of the unplanned difficulties and the several health and safety flight cancellations and limitations in travels and travel warning coupled with the warehouse closure, the company achieved marginal growth in a very difficult year.

    He expressed optimism that the Nahco Group is on course to deliver  its strategic medium term growth and profitability objectives for 2015 and beyond as activities have since stabilised.

    “We see improvements income streams from  subsidiaries and efficiency improvements in the core business and new routings demand for the second quarter that will gradually add up to group performance,” Biedermann said.

    He said that while investments in the FTZ will continue apace in 2015 to 2016, the company will begin to reap the fruits of such investments within this year in a sustainable manner.

    Nahcos bonus declaration plus a cash dividend is the first double corporate action by a listed company this year on the floor and reflects company’s continuing strategy for cash retention as development and diversification is deepened  in tight market conditions-

    Chairman, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc,  Suleiman Yahyah, had told shareholders at the last general meeting that a 25-year master plan was being developed  for implementation by NAHCO FTZ which will triple its cargo handling capacity in the short term and create a long term pipeline for both its expansion of revenues and consolidate its diversification strategy while supporting Nigeria’s exports earnings and trans-shipments capabilities   across the west Africa sub region – The FTZ is projected to attract over $500million in new investments in next five years.

    “NAHCO FTZ will afford us the opportunity to import goods in a borderless environment. It will also improve Nigeria’s trade facilitation and competitivess and give us a unique platform to service our value-added aviation-clients and related business.

  • NAHCO chair commends Customs boss

    Chairman, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance), Mallam Suleiman Yahyah, has commended the Custom Area Commander (CAC), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr. Folorunso Adegoke, for his efforts in providing the enabling environment to boost cargo revenues.

    He spoke during a courtesy visit to the CAC. He said the CAC is a blessing to the command and to nahco aviance. “The kind of sentiment being expressed by everyone as it concerns you is a pointer to the fact that you are a game changer, and we are proud of you. Your team has changed the game plan. This will help revenue to increase and the customer satisfaction will be achieved,” he said.

    Yahyah said in the past two months, there had been no reported case of theft. He attributed this to measures put in place by NAHCO and the Customs. He advised the Adegoke to regularly sit down with his team to align them with the overall objective of the measures put in place. He said this would reduce tension in the system.

    On his part, the Custom boss said the reduction in the incidence of theft arose from the fact that appropriate capturing is being carried out by his men. This he said has greatly helped. “We have a system that captures everything and everything is being recorded accordingly,” he said.

    He further explained that what the customs does now is to capture the details of the person(s) to whom consignments are delivered.  He said if after the consignment had been delivered, it was found out that other goods were concealed under the delivered cargo, the Customs goes after the consignee.

    He said: “Once a particular trader is compliant, he has no issues with us. Once there is compliance, there won’t be any issue; it is non- compliance that can alter the peace. Kindly report anyone with issues.”

    The Managing Director, nahco aviance, Mr. Norbert Bielderman, expressed his appreciation of the excellent working relationship with the Customs Area Commander.  He said the feedback he had received so far from his managers were quite encouraging. He, therefore, called on the CAC to keep up the tempo.

     

  • NAHCO aquires free trade zone licence

    NAHCO aquires free trade zone licence

    • Floats $500m subsidiary

    NAHCO Aviance  has acquired a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) licence, the Managing Director, Norbert Bielderman, has said.

    Bielderman told The Nation at the sidelines of a Nigeria Cargo Summit organised by NAHCo in Lagos, that the firm has also established a subsidiary with a five-year business investment plan of about $500 million.

    The summit brought together stakeholders in the air cargo business to deliberate on issues affecting air cargo business in Nigeria.

    He said NAHCo shareholders have benefited from uninterrupted dividend payout for the last 10 years and that the ground handling company recently won an award for achieving the feat despite the challenging economic environment.

    He attributed the uncertain business terrain to  developments in the political economy.

    He said NAHCo  would work very hard to sustain the feat it has attained through hard-work, improved efficiency, cost management strategies and revised revenue structure.

    He commended NAHCo staff for their dedication, commitment and loyalty, adding that loyal employees are the company’s greatest assets.

    Bielderman promised to continually develop and sharpen their skills to support the industry needs business, adding that NAHCo has budgeted the sum of $200,000 for training of staff this year.

    NAHCo, he said has initiated the process  of employing 100 Passenger Services Agents (PSA) next quarter training after the mandatory compliance training scheduled for overseas for one month on-the-job training.

    According to him, “Our 2015 budget has accommodated employee training provision of $200,000.00. As we all know that aviation is a knowledge based industry with its high technical and safety needs and requirements, we have chosen to reinforce our commitment to staff training.

    “We have initiated a process to engage 100 Passenger Services Agents (PSA) next quarter who after the mandatory compliance training will travel overseas for one month on-the-job training at a high brow international airport.

    This further assures our client airlines of our unflinching commitment to service excellence.  Upon employment, these new talents will also replace our aging workforce as identified globally as an industry strategic need”.

    He added that as a strategic growth initiative, NAHCo has upgraded its Cargo Department into a division for improved efficiency and better service delivery this year.

  • Election shift: ‘Nigeria lost over $2b FDI’

    Election shift: ‘Nigeria lost over $2b FDI’

    Nigeria lost over $2billion  worth of foreign direct investments to other countries due to the postponement of the general elections, the Acting Managing Director, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO)  Aviance Plc,  Norbert Bielderman, has  said.

    He said the postponement of the elections resulted  in the loss of foreign direct investments and the movement of such investments to other foreign destinations.

    Bielderman, who spoke in Lagos yesterday at the Nigeria cargo summit organised by NAHCO, said the business environment in Nigeria had become more challenging due to the high cost of doing business and the devaluation of the naira.

    He said: “The election postponement impact on the economy is analysed to be worth over $2billion. There is high cost of doing business and loss of investor confidence for existing and new Foreign Direct Investment that may have to other countries.”

    He said 2015 is a crucial year because of elections and its associate intrigues.

    “It’s therefore no surprise that our economy has been badly hit and worsened by the election postponement,” he said, adding that there has been travel ban from many European countries and this has negatively impacted the aviation sector.

    He said Nigeria’s foreign reserves is significantly depleted and our national account is in deficit. “The crash in oil price and consequent impact on the nation’s revenue earnings, exchange rate moved from N155/$ to N205/$ within a  six month period at the interbank, and Central Bank of Nigeria’s final closure of the Royal Dutch Auction System is a testament to the fact that all is not well with the economy,” he explained.

    Implicitly, naira has been devalued to between 30-40 per cent  and this will necessarily cause inflation if government does not put in place deliberate measures to mitigate against an upsurge in price across industry.

    We expect inflation to rise up to 10 per cent  or more soon. Furthermore, the cost of fund have also significantly risen with bank interest rates now up to about 26 per cent

    .This will lead to massive job losses within the private sector and for them to survive this trying time.”

    He said :”   In Aviation, the domestic airlines would be worst hit because of current ticket prices are not in sync or responsive to current realities.

  • NAHCO to improve terminal security

    NAHCO to improve terminal security

    Nigeria’s  ground handling operator, Nahco Aviance, has signed on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to shore up security at the nation’s foremost airport, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    This followed the fracas, which ensued between men and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and licensed agents in November, last year.

    The fracas led to the closure of the Cargo terminal for about two weeks by the Federal Government.

    Armed operatives of the NSCDC had since January taken up positions in various sections of the terminal. They would have the responsibility to further enhance the security of the terminal.

    The operatives, who are about 25 in number, would complement other security arrangements already put in place by the ground handler, who also has a subsisting MoU with the Nigeria Air Force.

    According to the Head, Corporate Services, nahco aviance, Mr. Bashir Ahmed Gulma, Nahco Aviance, will do all it takes to ensure that the terminal is sanitised in line with the stakeholders agreement of December 2014.

    He said: “The deployment of Civil Defence operatives in several areas of operations is just one in our series of efforts to ensure that the cargo terminal meets international requirements.We are committed to fulfilling our own part of the agreement we have with the Nigeria Customs Service.”

    Gulma said the Civil Defence operatives would be confined only to NAHCO’s operational areas.

    The entrance to the gate of terminal called Hajj Camp is not one of those areas, he added.

  • NAHCO backs airports’ sanitisation

    Nigerian Aviation Handling Company ( NAHCO) Plc is committed to efforts by agencies to sanitise operations at the airports, its  Chairman,  Mallam Suleiman Yahyah, has said.

    He spoke when the Comptroller- General of Nigerian Customs Service Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi visited the cargo terminal of the Lagos Airport.

    He said nahco would be at the forefront to ensure that the area is sanitised and befitting of a major airport that is the pride of Nigeria.

    The nahco boss led the Customs chief to inspect facilities of the company.

    Yahyah said when the events that led to the closure of the warehouses started, nahco aviance expressed its displeasure with the action of those that caused the fracas

    According to him, “We wish to assure comptroller-general that every step would be taken. We would review our operating procedures. We would further upgrade our manpower and equipment; and we will review our relationship with the agencies and will come back to you with the next steps. But I assure that your next visit to this place will witness a much better and sanitised environment.”

    The President, Association of Licensed Clearing Agents of Nigeria (ANLCA) Mr. Olayiwola Shittu said the problem of touts who pretend to be agents at the airports is one that should not be blamed on Customs alone.

    He said: “The regulatory agencies; not limited to Customs, the Police, FAAN, Airforce must take part of the blame for what is happening. Those of us who were licenced by NCS to operate in customs territory are overwhelmed by the influx of those who have no business being in the airports.’’

    He urged the law enforcement agencies to do more in removing touts from the airports.

  • Nahco appoints acting MD

    The board of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) Plc has appointed Mr. Norbert Bielderman, the company’s executive director for operations, as the acting managing director of the company. The appointment took effect last week’s Thursday.

    Bielderman took over from the current managing director; Mr. Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo, who proceeded on terminal leave on the same day. Mr. Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo’s contract expires on March 31, 2015.

    Bielderman joined Nahco as chief operating officer in May 2010 and rose to become the executive director, operations in December 2013.

    A tested aviation practitioner with 29 years hands-on experience in ground handling operations, project management, strategy implementation and logistics chain management among others, Bielderman is expected to bring his experience to bear on Nahco’s performance.

    He will particularly be expected to optimize the plan to make Nahco the cargo-hub for the West African region. Nahco has recently floated a new subsidiary, Nahco FTZ, to run a free trade zone licence it was granted by the Federal Government. The free trade zone(FTZ) will operate within the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Nigeria and West Africa’s busiest airport.

    Initial estimates indicate that Nahco FTZ could attract about $500 million investments into Nigeria.

    The Nahco FTZ will afford the company the opportunity to import goods in a borderless environment while it will also improve its shipment capacity and capabilities. It is also expected to significantly increase air traffic into the country and as well as increased cargoes for the company.

    Audited report for the year ended December 31, 2013 showed that turnover rose by 11 per cent from N7.4 billion to N8.1 billion, while  profit after tax rose 35 per cent from N609 million to N820 million. The company increased dividend by 20 per cent from 25 kobo to 30 kobo.

     

  • NAHCO appoints acting managing director

    The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC, has  appointed Norbert Bielderman, as the Acting Managing Director/CEO of the company.

    The company said his appointment which took effect from October  23, is in line with the Company’s succession plan and good corporate governance principles.

    The current Managing Director/CEO, Kayode Oluwasegun–Ojo whose contract is due to expire on 31st March 2015, has proceeded on his pre-retirement leave.

    The company had conveyed the information to the regulators in line with their rules and regulations and applied to publish it to the stakeholders.

    In a letter conveying its approval to the board dated  October 23, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said: “We have received your letter dated today, October 23, 2014 in which you notified The Exchange of the appointment of Mr. Norbert Bielderman as acting Managing Director of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc.”

    The letter notified the company that the new information has been transmitted to the market operators, adding that Nahco Aviance could proceed to publish the information to its stakeholders.

    Until his appointment, Bielderman was the Executive Director, Operations, for the company.

    Bielderman joined Nahco Aviance in May 2010 from The Netherlands (Holland). He is an alumnus of the University of the Netherlands, Antilles, where he studied Fiscal Law from 1979 to 1982.

    In 1998, he qualified for the IATA certificate on Dangerous Goods & Radioactive Materials in Yereven, Armenia.

    He is a tested aviation practitioner with more than 29 years hands-on experience in ground handling operations, project management, feasibility study, strategy implementation and logistics chain management.

    Prior to joining Nahco Aviance, he had worked in senior positions at Thor Shipping Group of Companies, South Africa, Transafrik International Ltd, Aerocharter/Swissport Services, Cancun & Mexico City, Swissport Basel AG, Switzerland, National Flight Services, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, KLM Cargo Central America & Caribbean, among other companies.

  • Nahco, NEPC, others partner on export promotion

    Nahco, NEPC, others partner on export promotion

    A joint committee made up of representatives of the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), nahco aviance and Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) is to be set up to work out ways to improve export in the country.

    Each party is to be represented by two members each.

    This was the resolution of a workshop hosted by nahco aviance for stakeholders in the agro – allied export business.

    At the workshop titled “Stakeholders’ workshop on addressing challenges in export of horticulture products from Nigeria” which took place in Lagos recently, the Executive Director of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo said the body had to be part of the workshop in collaboration with other bodies such as nahco aviance, NAQS and Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative because of the visit made to the firm and NAQS by the officials of the council.

    Represented by the Acting Director of Market Development, Mr. Mathew Iranloye, said the visit to firm was to acquaint the Council with the workings of the two organisations with a view to assessing how their operations could help facilitate the body’s efforts at galvanising Nigerian exporters of foods towards servicing the growing demands of European Union and The United States of America markets for fresh and processed food items from Africa.

    Also speaking in his capacity as the Acting Director of Market Development of NEPC, Iranloye reiterated the need for exporters to adhere strictly to global standards especially on packaging and labeling of their products.

    Nahco’s Business Manager, Lagos Region, Mr. Yahaya Hassan who represented nahco at the workshop said that the company has put different facilities in place such as freezers, cold rooms etc., to help facilitate the exportation of goods. He also stated that the nahco aviance’s Free Trade Zone which will soon commence operations will be an impetus to exportation of goods in the country.

    Mr. Kayode Ashafa who represented the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative stated that the state government has been supporting and will continue to support the promotion of export. He said the state government was ready to partner with stakeholders to encourage exportation of agricultural products. He advised exporters to always follow standards in their businesses. He also thanked nahco aviance, NEPC, NAQS and Customs for putting the workIn his contribution, the Director – General, Nigerian Association of Chamber Of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. John Isemede also advised exporters to imbibe the culture of proper labeling, packaging, grading and pricing. He also told the Federal Government to set up a national carrier to help facilitate the exportation of goods.

    Other people who addressed the workshop are Mrs. Evelyn Obidike, Acting Zonal Controller, NEPC Lagos and the representative of Custom Area Controller, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Mrs. Dyuran.

  • NAHCO gets award

    The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance) has clinched the ‘Cargo Company of the Year 2013 award’ at the Sixth Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Conference, Exhibition and Awards at the Tinapa Resort, Cross Rivers State.

    According to the Business Development and Corporate Strategy Manager of nahco, Mr Sanya Onayoade, with latest award, the firm has become a two-time winner of the NIGAV Awards, having won the Handling Company of the Year Award at the 2012 edition.

    He said the yearly event was organised by FCI International Limited , which seeks to recognise firm,organisations and individuals for best practices and outstanding contributions towards developing the industry and related activities.

    Some of the achievements that qualified the firm for the award, he said, include its strong and exceptional corporate governance, broad working knowledge of the industry.

    He listed other factors to include the certification and membership of various international bodies, quality service delivery, impressive clientele base and ownership and operation of the largest warehouse in sub-Sahara Africa.

    Meanwhile, Nahco Aviance has reiterated its commitment to excellent service delivery. He said it would spare no effort to make the customers happy.

    Speaking in Lagos, where he offered passenger service, the Managing Director of nahco aviance, Mr. Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo, said this was just the beginning of greater things to come as the new nahco is set to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders.

    The event was part of the activities marking the Company’s 35th year anniversary.

    Oluwasegun-Ojo handled the check-in formalities of a London-bound Virgin Atlantic passenger Mr. Michael Olusesi.