The company honors the president of AGHAN for his contribution to the aviation sector

The President of the Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN), Olaniyi Adigun, has been honored as the 2023 Outstanding Personality of the Year in Aviation.

The award was conferred on Adigun at the 10th edition of the Nigeria Transport Lecture, organized by Nigeria Transport Award, publishers of Transport Day, held on Thursday at Ikeja, Lagos.

The ceremony, convened by Mr. Frank Kintum, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Transport Day, is an annual event that honors outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves through professional excellence and service to humanity in the private and public sectors.

According to Kintum, Adigun was conferred the special award in recognition of his immense contribution to the development of the aviation industry, especially the ground handling sub-sector, where he has achieved huge milestones in over four decades.

Kintum explained that Adigun was selected for the award by the Transport Day board and management after topping the polls conducted by the team.

In particular, he said that since Adigun was appointed President of AGHAN, he has been able to reposition ground handling companies in the sector and has worked tirelessly to ensure a review of the previous ground handling rates that have been in place for the last three decades.

He said, “Mr. Olaniyi Adigun, President of AGHAN, was nominated for this honor after a rigorous exercise that focused on his activities and achievements in the Nigerian aviation industry over over forty years. Through its work, Adigun consistently promotes safety, which is the hallmark of the global aviation industry.

“We want to use this medium to call on Adigun to continue to do more for the growth and development of the Nigerian aviation industry. To whom much is given, much more is expected.”

In his speech, Adigun thanked the organizers for deeming him worthy of the honor. He also expressed admiration for AGHAN’s achievements, maintaining, however, that the association and its recorded successes do not concern him, but all of its members.

He added that the award motivated AGHAN to continue its good work.

He said: “I feel very excited, appreciated and honored to receive the 2023 Aviation Personality of the Year award after the long effort we have put into this sector, especially in the ground handling industry.

“It is unfortunate that the government and its agencies have not given the ground handling sub-sector of the aviation industry fair treatment and attention, but some organizations in the sector have realized the great work we do and have awarded me this honor.

“As I said, the government and its agencies always lose money due to unfair competition in the ground handling sub-sector, especially between the two major ground handling companies. AGHAN as a body is trying to unite major competitors to strengthen the Nigerian economy and we pray that this will soon bear fruit and improve the situation of the industry and the country as a whole.

He expressed regret that airlines were taking full advantage of unhealthy competition between the two major ground handling companies, but said that since AGHAN joined the airline a few years ago, such unhealthy practices had been reduced to an absolute minimum.

Adigun was promoted through the ranks and was appointed Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc for 2018-2024.

During his stay, the department was able to implement various sales and marketing strategies that significantly increased the company’s revenues, while at the same time its customer base increased dramatically.