The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria said it has pushed back Aero Contractors to profitability following its takeover of the management of the airline in 2016.
The takeover of Aero culminated in the dissolution of its board and subsequent appointment of a manager to run it in an interim capacity.
Against this backdrop, the incumbent Managing Director of Aero Contractors said recently that the airline has achieved a significant financial turnaround, reducing its liabilities by 33 percent and recording an 18 percent profit margin in 2024, a sharp contrast to the -69 percent loss recorded in 2022.
Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of AMCON, Gbenga Alade, told senior media executives on Thursday in Lagos that the new management of the airline had been able to turn around its fortune with two aircraft they got from the Cross River State Government.
Alade said: “Right now, they have only two aircraft flying and yet they were able to make money from them and the two aircraft did not even belong to them.
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“They were given to them to manage by the Cross River State Government.
“They don’t even have the aircraft of their own.
“The ones they have had problems, and they are trying to fix them.
“Now that they have started to make a profit.
“They are creating a pool of funds to refurbish their own aircraft.
“They also have plans to bring five more 737-500 series very soon on dry lease arrangement.”
Alade said the same Cross River State Government has given them an additional two aircraft.
He told the editors to think about how the airline will transform the airline market with almost 10 aircraft, remarking that it is an airline to watch out for because it has a history of safety among the airlines.
He said: “If they don’t have their own aircraft but leasing and hiring engines to fly and are able to make a profit, imagine what will happen if they have their own.”
He said that is a good example of an airline that is easy to transform and that is one of the success stories of AMCON.
Alade described the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, as a pragmatic leader with deep knowledge of the market, the business as well as a man who has integrity and is transparent.
This development, the AMCON boss said, makes a whole lot of difference, which is why the rebound of Aero, one of the airlines under the AMCON aviation portfolio, should be celebrated as one of the many AMCON success stories.
The vibrant AMCON boss added that AMCON will not be deterred from recovering the huge outstanding N4 trillion in its books no matter the gang up by obligors who have done serious damage to the economy of Nigeria with no intention whatsoever to repay their debt.
He said this class of obligors are unfortunately the high and mighty who have chosen to hide under the technicalities of the law to avoid repayment of their debt.
Alade however commended the judiciary for the support in AMCON’s recovery mandate because most of the outstanding hardcore recoveries are pending in different courts across the country from the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.
He also commended the collaboration and support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Assembly, police, and media in helping the AMCON recovery mandate, which he described as a national assignment.
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