Through its strong focus on service quality and safety, Nigeria-based Arik Air has become the largest airline in the West and Central Africa region, the Management of the airline said today.
Receiving members of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), led by Bank President Dr. Benedict Oramah, at the Arik headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, Company Chairman Joseph Aruremi-Ikhide said that airline was focused on being an Africa-based airline operating to the highest international standards and with a modern fleet of aircraft.
In pursuit of its determination to be an African airline, Arik was working on extending its operations to also cover East and North Africa, he said.
Arik was also working on a growth plan that involved acquiring additional wide body and narrow body aircraft to enable it expand and meet future service needs.
Dr. Oramah had said that the Board Members, who were in Lagos to hold their third quarterly meeting for 2016, wanted to take the opportunity to see the operations of Arik Air, which Afreximbank considered a strong partner that could play an important role in building a very solid foundation for intra-African trade.
According to the President, given the current infrastructural challenges associated with road, rail and the other forms of transportation on the continent, air transport represents most viable means of transporting goods in support of trade in Africa.
Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah (in blue shirt), listens as Arik Air Chairman Joseph Aruremi-Ikhide, shows Arik’s aircraft tracking system during visit of Afreximbank Board Members to Arik Headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.
Board Members on the delegation included Dr. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance of Nigeria; Jean-Marie Benoît Mani, National Director for Cameroon at the Central Bank of Central African States; Victor-Jérôme Nembelessini Silué, Former Chairman and CEO, Banque Nationale d’Investissement, Cote d’Ivoire; Andrew Gamble from the United Kingdom; Ronnie Sibongiseni Ntuli, Chairman, Thelo Group (Pty) Ltd of South African; and Anil Dua, former CEO for West Africa at Standard Chartered Bank.
Accompanying the delegation were Executive Vice Presidents Denys Denya of Finance, Administration and Banking Services, and Dr. George Elombi, of Governance, Legal and Corporate Services, along with several directors and other staff of the Bank.
The visiting Afreximbank delegation in group photo with representatives of Arik Air during visit of Afreximbank Board Members to Arik Headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria..