Interviews

Yvonne Manzi Makolo is the CEO of Africa’s rising airline, RwandAir. She is the first female to chair the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE at the recently concluded IATA 79th AGM in Istanbul, Turkey, she talks about myriads of challenges militating the growth of African airlines, investments in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and the gains the continent’s carriers have made in the field of aviation among others. Congratulations on…

Dr. Seinde Fadeni, Chairman, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc in this interview with WOLE SHADARE at the company’s 42nd Annual General Meeting held in Lagos recently, spoke about the financial results of NAHCO, the challenges of the past year and the future outlook. Excerpts: What are the highlights of the results, which you announced at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the financial year 2022? I am pleased to report that our company, just…

Gloria Atumu is the General Manager of APG Nigeria. It is a travel connection platform that makes travel easier. Speaking to WOLE SHADARE at the APG Day celebration which brought trade partners together, and updated them on APG products, she says the product makes travel seamless Celebrating APG DAY in Nigeria We are celebrating APG Day. It is actually a programme of APG celebrated annually on 27 May, organised for all the individual country members to have…

In what served as an appraisal of his scorecard in the last eight years, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika speaks with facts about infrastructure development, his ambitious aviation roadmap, tussles that have trailed the establishment of a national carrier at the recently held national aviation stakeholders’ forum in Abuja. WOLE SHADARE was in attendance as he listens to his presentation and response to answers asked him on the state of the aviation industry. Not a few believe that…

The Chief Operating Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Chief Osita Okonkwo speaks to WOLE SHADARE on the challenges faced by airlines which have made them seek better ways of remaining in business How have your operations been in the last two years? On February 12th, 2021 we did our inaugural flight and it was a flight that took us from Lagos to Enugu. That happened just a few days after we obtained our AOC. That period was towards…

ValueJet Airline recently marked its 100 days fare cut promo and planned the introduction of the Jos route. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, the Managing Director of ValueJet, Capt. Dapo Majekodunmi unfolds the airline’s plans to offer quality services to its customers and plans for the future ValueJet is a new airline, what are the unique things that you are bringing to your customers and the travelling public? As much as we are a…

Director-General Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (AIB), Akin Olateru, an aircraft engineer has been speaking on the newly created intermodal accident investigative body which came into existence following the repeal of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Act. Olateru, in this question and answer session at the release of seven accidents/serious incident reports which were monitored virtually by WOLE SHADARE, speaks on Nigeria’s impeccable air safety record, the scope of operations of the new body among others…

Jimmy Eichelgruen, the Sales Director for Africa, Middle East, and India for Delta Airlines, in this interview with WOLE SHADARE, speaks on the 15 years of operation of the airline into Nigeria, the importance of the market to the carrier, among other issues Today marks 15 years of incredible service of Delta Airlines to Nigeria. Could you let us into the journey so far? I remember 15 years ago when we started our service and…

 Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika was in Lagos for what was generally tagged a stakeholders’ appreciation forum organised to thank all the people who worked towards the speedy completion of the Lagos airport Runway 18/L which took more than 14 years to complete. The Minister initially did not want to speak on any other matter except on the completed Airfield Lighting that brought him to Lagos. He however seized the opportunity to explain issues in the…

Adejoju Sikuade is the Head of Business for FCM Travel, a subsidiary of Fincglow Holdings. FCM Travel Solutions is a global travel management provider spanning more than 98 countries worldwide. Sikuade and her team are committed to generating better travel ideas for their high-end clients. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, she says FCM delivers strategic corporate travel and expense management services, offering its services to small, large, and multinational companies. She also speaks on why FCM is different from…