The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) has won the “African Best Passenger Handling Services Provider of the year 2016 award”.
The award was presented to SAHCOL by the Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria (IBM), in collaboration with the African Institute of Brand Management (AFribm) at the 2016 edition of the Brand Leadership Merit Awards held at the Sheraton Hotel and Suites, Ikeja, Lagos.
As the only brand selected from the Aviation sector this year, SAHCOL was picked for the award by the Brand Leadership Award’s Technical Committee because of its recent strides and innovation in building a brand that is in tune with International best practices.
The Brand Management Institute observed that the SAHCOL brand has a great story behind it, adding that “it is an authentic, unique, value adding African brand, that has been connected with the people within and outside.”
The Institute further stated that, SAHCOL has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the continent, the economic aspirations of its citizenry and the transformation of African’s image in the International market while displaying a high standard of good corporate citizenship, social and environmental responsibilities.
The African Brand Leadership Awards, according to the organisers is aimed at celebrating Leadership, innovations and creativity in Africa.
It showcases brilliant minds and institutions that are delivering positive change and shaping Africa’s future.
In his address at the 2016 congress with the theme: “Achieving Sustainable Branding in Africa: Prospects and Challenges, the chairman of the occassion, Professor Samaila Mande stated that marketing productivity and resources in developing countries are fundamentally different compared to advanced countries.
Professor Mande maintained that branding should be done a bit differently to what is obtainable in the western world.
He explained that the use of sophisticated technology should be employed to accelerate the levels of consumer access, bypassing many of the traditionally staged levels of advanced countries.
Professor Mande observed that many Nigerians are highly inspirational, educated and street smart, stressing that they should consider the possibility of developing local brands for the global market so as to instill national pride.
He noted that this will serve as real alternatives to global brands.
The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) was prior to December 2009 a struggling establishment of the federal government of Nigeria, having been rescued from the ashes of the liquidated Nigerian Airways.
The fortunes of SAHCOL however took a turn for the better, after 2009, when the SIFAX Group led by its executive vice chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi bought over SAHCOL, in a keenly contested privatisation exercise by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
Today, SAHCOL is a great brand that has won its way to the heart of the Aviation Community, delivering Aviation Ground Handling Services in line with Internationally accepted best practices, having undergone and received the highest available International and local certifications, providing equipment and facilities that matches with the very best anywhere in the world.
Picture Caption:
Prof. Samaila Mande (L) presenting the Award of African
Best Passenger Services Handling Company of the year 2016
to the General Manager, Corporate Communications,SAHCOL. Basil Agboarumi.
