Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc has reported strong results that underscore the challenges facing handling companies amid rising operational pressures in Nigeria. The company announced ₦31.7 billion in revenue and an 82 percent increase in profit before tax for the nine-month period ending 30 September 2025, a performance its Managing Director, Mrs Adenike Aboderin, described as exceptional given the escalating costs confronting the sector.
She said this during the League f Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC)’s Gateway Forum, an unfiltered no holds barred interview session at the handling company’s head office.
According to her, the industry is grappling with inflation, higher utilities, foreign-exchange volatility and the burden of acquiring equipment and spare parts priced in foreign currency. She said these issues have continued to weigh heavily on handling companies, yet SAHCO has managed to sustain growth. “Despite that, SAHCO continues to deliver value to its stakeholders, shareholders, clients and airlines across over twenty-two network locations as of today,” she stated.
Aboderin explained that the company’s direction is driven by a disciplined and deliberate approach. She said SAHCO’s momentum is rooted in what she describes as the four P’s. “A lot of work has been done and a lot is still going on, on the strategy of operational excellence, on technology, on infrastructure and on the people. We’re working on four P’s: people, processes, practice and best practices. That’s what we’re focusing on: service excellence, operational excellence and technology and infrastructural improvement.”
Financial Results Reflect Strategic Discipline
While presenting the results, Aboderin said the figures demonstrate both SAHCO’s stability and its ambition. She told stakeholders that the company’s rise is not accidental but built on strict planning and prudent execution. “I just want to go through a few numbers with you, so you have an idea of where we are and where we’re going to and then give you a bit about what we’re doing and our future plans,” she said.
Revenue moved from ₦20.1 billion in the same period last year to ₦31.7 billion, marking a 58 percent growth. Gross profit increased from ₦12 billion to ₦17.6 billion, a 47 percent rise, while profit before tax surged from ₦5.5 billion to ₦10.4 billion, representing 82 percent growth. Profit for the period moved from ₦4.6 billion to ₦8.4 billion, an 83 percent improvement that reinforces confidence in SAHCO’s operating model.
The company’s asset base rose from ₦40.6 billion to ₦57.1 billion, reflecting a 31 percent expansion. Aboderin said the growth was driven by strategic acquisitions and continuous investment in equipment. “We invested heavily in assets, infrastructure and equipment—green equipment, sustainable equipment. We’re phasing out our aged equipment gradually, and more acquisitions are coming.” She added that cost management has remained tight. “We’ve tried to be nimble to make sure that costs pool, using technology to drive processes, thereby reducing costs.”
She summarised the company’s progress by saying, “We’ve delivered strong growth: 82 percent profit growth, 57 percent revenue growth and a rise in assets of thirteen billion. So, I think if we continue on this growth strategy and with our partnership with our clients, we will continue to surpass our goals and the future seems bright.”
Digitalisation Fuels Efficiency and Cost Reductions
Aboderin highlighted several digital solutions engineered in-house to strengthen operational integrity. She said SAHCO has introduced e-billing to ensure faster payment cycles, enabling bills and payments to be exchanged electronically. She also explained that a new Resource Allocators Department has been created to ensure optimum deployment of personnel and equipment, allowing the company to extract more value from limited assets.
She said SAHCO has also built proprietary tracking and budgeting tools. “We’ve developed an in-house flight app. We’ve developed a budget app. Now we stick strictly to budget performance. We monitor that monthly, so we have an app that guides us. That’s why you see a lot of efficiency on the financial side.” She added that cybersecurity enhancements have strengthened operational safeguards.
Aboderin said these measures have delivered measurable results. “We’ve enhanced financial resilience by improving efficiency, investing in technology and fostering partnerships with all our clients, leading to a 27 percent year-on-year cost reduction for us through new digital tools and streamlined processes.”
She also stressed the importance of aligning people with technology. “We hope to continue to grow at the current run rates. And we’re investing in our workforce because it’s all about the people. If you don’t have the right people and you have all this technology, it’s a challenge. So, you must match the people to the technology you are deploying, whether it’s hard technology like GSEs or the soft ones. So, you must match them.”
Mounting Pressures Demand Fairer Conditions for Handling Companies
Beyond the financial gains, Aboderin emphasised that handling companies remain disadvantaged in the current industry structure. She said airlines and other operators can adjust prices to reflect rising costs, whereas ground handlers face regulatory and contractual ceilings that prevent them from recovering expenses driven by foreign exchange. She argued that a fairer framework is needed to preserve service quality, support investment and protect the long-term sustainability of handling companies in Nigeria.
Aboderin reaffirmed SAHCO’s ambition despite these pressures. She said the company aims to become the leading ground handling brand in West Africa and expand further into sub-Saharan Africa. She added that SAHCO’s resilience comes from deliberate planning and strong partnerships. “We had financial resilience and growth by strategically investing in operational excellence, technological infrastructure and sustainable partnerships with stakeholders, airlines, agents and regulatory bodies.”
