The current state of doing business in Nigeria has been of major concern to local and international business owners, this has actually caused the Nigerian business sector to experience some level of stagnancy but with the recent influx of international and local investors who have joined forced with the brilliant Nigerian companies, the economy is beginning to blossom, an example of such is the recent partnership that has taken place between the largest commercial helicopter operator in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Aviation and one of the leading indigenous aviation companies Odengene Air-Shuttle Services (OAS) who has added significantly to the aviation industry in Nigeria since its inception in 2006.
Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) provides aviation offshore oil support and other services worldwide and in particular for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas production companies. The company also provides VVIP passenger transportation services, Search & Rescue for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), crop spraying, aerial construction, fire fighting in Europe and much more.
ADA had interests to invest in Nigeria and searched for a reliable, hardworking, transparent and already established partner until their paths crossed with Capt. Everest Nnaji and his successful indigenous company OAS whose resilience and ability to flourish for over ten years in the local aviation industry was the perfect fit; they knew that OAS would be extremely beneficial to the Nigerian oil and gas aviation providing it with secure and top-notch services to add to their services.
ADA went ahead to send their 15-seater full offshore equipped helicopter AW-139 with registration number A6-AWH at Capt. Everest Nnaji’s OAS new terminal NAFBASE Airport in Port Harcourt and invested in their partnership which has been on-going since 2013. OAS has a huge desire to provide services that meet the best possible local and international standard for Nigeria oil and gas aviation which was the driving force in their relationship with Abu Dhabi Aviation. They began locally, established themselves perfectly and accepted a partnership which would be a good example to other international investors looking to partner with the best of Nigerians business organizations.
The work ethic and initiative shown by Capt. Evarest Nnaji to work alongside a prominent international company whose partnership could open up great doors to provide services to the Nigerian oil services is one that should be emulated amongst other business owners. He is changing the game with the ability to leverage on the opportunities that international collaboration brings to Nigeria, having already a solid indigenous foundation to back it up and that is one for the books.
