…Afolabi highlights critical role of ground services in efficient, resilient airport operations
The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) has used its participation in the 35th Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Annual General Assembly, Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja to spotlight the growing importance of ground handling to the future of African aviation.
The conference, which has attracted more than 500 delegates and over 40 speakers, sponsors and exhibitors from across Africa and beyond, is being held under the theme, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience”.
The gathering is addressing key issues shaping the future of airports, including operational efficiency, digital transformation, sustainability, passenger experience, safety, security and commercial development.
Speaking on behalf of SAHCO Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, the company’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Adenike Aboderin, said the company’s participation went beyond corporate visibility, placing Nigeria’s ground-handling sector within the wider continental conversation on the airport of the future.
Afolabi said SAHCO’s presence at the conference provided an opportunity to demonstrate the contribution of ground-handling companies to efficient, competitive and passenger-focused airport operations.
He said SAHCO, as a key player in Nigeria’s airport services ecosystem, operates at the intersection of airlines, airports, passengers and the wider aviation supply chain, with services spanning passenger handling, baggage handling, ramp handling, cargo handling and warehousing.
According to him, the changing airport environment has made ground handling an increasingly important component of the overall airport experience rather than an invisible support function.
He said the ACI Africa conference theme was particularly relevant as airports across the continent face growing pressure to improve efficiency while responding to rising passenger numbers, technological changes, sustainability requirements and the need for stronger commercial performance.
“The quality of ground handling, cargo processing, baggage movement, aircraft turnaround and passenger facilitation can significantly influence an airline’s operational efficiency and, ultimately, the passenger’s perception of an airport”, he said.
Afolabi added that the Abuja conference was providing SAHCO with an opportunity to engage airport operators, airlines, regulators, technology providers and other service providers on how the various components of the airport ecosystem could work together to deliver more efficient operations.
He described the company’s participation as a statement on the place of Nigerian ground-handling companies in the future of African aviation.
“Under my leadership, SAHCO has continued to position itself as an aviation-services company with an emphasis on professionalism, operational development and business growth”, he said.
“Our presence here presents us with an opportunity to showcase our capabilities, engage with industry peers and partners, and contribute to conversations about the next generation of airport operations. More importantly, it reinforces the company’s evolving identity as an important component of Nigeria’s aviation value chain”.
The SAHCO chairman said as African airports move towards greater automation, improved passenger experience, stronger cargo systems and more resilient operations, the quality and efficiency of ground services would remain central to the success of the transformation.
He further noted that participation in major continental aviation gatherings could help Nigerian aviation companies strengthen international partnerships and position themselves as potential partners within Africa’s increasingly integrated aviation market.
According to him, the engagement also demonstrates the growing connection between Nigeria’s ground-handling market and the wider African aviation industry.