Captain Ado Sanusi is the Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, and a former CEO of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. He tells BLESSING ENENAITE about his career, achievements and other issues
What influenced your decision to become a pilot?
My primary school was located in Zaria, Kaduna State, close to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre (now Nigerian College of Aviation Technology). We (the pupils) usually come out to see the students of the flying school performing with the aircrafts. That was when I developed interest (in becoming a pilot).
I kept telling myself that I would become a pilot. After I had gone to the university, I went ahead to pursue my dream of becoming a pilot.
What are your roles as the CEO of Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited?
I was appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of Aero Contractors in 2017, and I later left for another assignment in late 2020. I was called back in October, 2022.
My actual role is to turn the company around. The company was underperforming, in distress, and in crisis, and my role is to manage the crisis, stabilise the company, and lead it to recovery.
My role is as a turnaround manager, and that is what we have done. When I came in, the company had no airplane, and it was shut down. In December 2022, we started our first flight and we are now managing the crisis. We have stabilised and we have about two aircrafts in operation. We plan to have a third aircraft too. We have also enhanced the maintenance aspect of the organization, and we are now looking at recovery.
As a turnaround manager, I ensure we address crisis, and try to make sure we don’t go into liquidation. We look at our assets and manage the liabilities of the vendors and creditors, and assure them that the best is for them, and that the company is not going into liquidation. That is what we have been doing for the past six months. Most importantly, we give hope to the staff, and we ensure that they understand our goals and aim of stabilsation, which I think was the biggest challenge.
In addition, we managed to ensure that the staff knows that failure is not an option for us. My role is also to ensure we put our heads together and think outside the box.
What are some of your notable achievements so far?
One of my notable achievements in Aero Contractors is the start-up of the maintenance, repair and overhaul arm which is called MRO. The aim is to conduct heavy checks. To ensure continuous growth of our operations, we must achieve the first few checks. We have to keep the MRO, close so that we would not be complacent.
After that achievement, we have put a lot of capability in our MRO, and we have increased the approval for other countries, such as Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon, to come here to do maintenance. We have also increased our capability, and we are looking at our workshop and its capability. We will continue to do that and keep growing.
You have also worked with Arik Air, and you were also the MD/CEO of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. Can you tell us about your experience there and other places you have honed your skills?
I started my flying career with Kabo Air in 1990 as a co-pilot, and I spent close to eight years there. Then, I left to join ExxonMobil as a co-pilot, where I worked for another eight years. I rose to become a captain and assistant safety officer in ExxonMobil’s flying unit.
I then left and joined Virgin Nigeria as one of the pioneer staff that started the company. I was among the second batch (of workers) that was deployed there.
I was deployed as a captain and I was there for eight months, before I was called upon for a national assignment to head the NAMA as its MD/CEO in 2006. I was in NAMA for close to three and half years, and we achieved the total reader coverage of the entire Nigerian airspace, which is called ‘tracker’. I left in 2009.
At NAMA, we implemented the entire reader coverage of the entire Nigerian airspace. We also implemented capacity building for air traffic controllers. For the first time, we sent air traffic controllers to the United States of America to be trained. We also had a collaboration with the Nigeria Air Force to be trained on the tracker, and strategic ways of ensuring that there will be seamless takeover of the airspace by the Nigerian Air Force in the event of any hostility.
We also developed a search and rescue manual, which the late President Umaru Yar’Adua approved and adopted. We enhanced the salaries of the air traffic controllers to ensure that they met global practices. We did all that while I was at NAMA.
I left there and joined Arik Air as a line captain, and I grew to become training captain, chief pilot, director of flight operations, senior vice president of operations, and finally the deputy head. I held that position till I left in 2017.
At Arik Air, we grew the company to almost 38 aircraft. We were carrying close to 9,000 and sometimes, 12,000 passengers daily. We were having between 100 and 150 flights per day. We were the fastest growing airline in Africa at that time. We grew the airline to a level where it had over 280 pilots and over 400 cabin crew members. Unfortunately, due to external forces, including the downturn of the economy worldwide, dollar/naira exchange rate, and of course, slow response of the airline, we started experiencing financial issues. It was during that period I left, and joined Aero Contractors.
There have been complains of brain drain in the country. How seriously is the aviation sector affected?
It is seriously affected. The aviation sector will be third most affected after the medical and IT (Information Technology) sectors, when it comes to brain drain.
When I was at Arik, there was a single month we lost about 10 pilots to Emirates (one of the flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates). That is not to talk of other aviation professionals, such as schedulers, dispatchers and engineers. We have lost a lot of professionals, especially to the Middle East, China, Europe, and sometimes to the United States of America. We have lost a lot of good pilots and engineers, who could have made the aviation industry in the country better.
Now, I am also seeing the same issue at Aero Contractors. We are losing pilots, engineers, planners, cabin crew members, dispatchers and others. We are also losing people to other African airlines, such as Air Rwanda, and even Ethiopia Airlines. We have to ‘import’ engineers, planners and other aviation personnel.
Some people have a phobia for flying. In what ways can one overcome such?
First, air transportation is the safest way to travel. I understand that some people have a phobia for flying. But, they should bear in mind that whatever one sees inside the airplane, there are a lot of checks that are carried out before an airplane is allowed to fly. So, the airplane is very safe.
Pilots are well trained to avoid bad weather, and they are trained not to fly the airplane if they are not safe. There are always two pilots, and most of the equipment in the plane are duplicated. In case one fails, it will be replaced. Sometimes, that happens automatically; and sometimes, the pilots make the switch. There are a minimum of two engines on a commercial airline. If one fails, we switch to the other one.
The airplane itself is built based on redundancy and every item in the airplane is backed up. It is so because when a pilot is flying in the air, they cannot park in the air, as it is done with cars on the road. That is why extra efforts are taken to ensure safety.
For those who have that phobia of flying, it is fine. Everyone that works on an airplane are working towards one goal, which is safety. In the event of an accident, the pilots are trained to ensure the safety of passengers. It is safety first; then comfort.
Have you ever experienced air turbulence as a pilot?
(Laughs). Air turbulence is a part of the life of a pilot. We have light and moderate turbulence, which require passengers to sit down and use their seat belts. A pilot is trained to avoid turbulence, but sometimes, there are some clear air turbulence that one cannot predict. One experiences it when one is already in the air.
When one encounters light turbulence, there are procedures to follow. But, if it is moderate or when it becomes severe, one has to avoid it, by either descending, or getting out of it.
If the pilot looks at the parameters, probably due to the atmospheric condition and the clouds, they should try to avoid the clouds. A pilot can take a decision to descend out of it or fly over it.
I have experienced that when I was doing local and international flights. The idea is to try to avoid it.
Do you still fly as a pilot despite being the CEO of the airline?
I miss flying. I have not flown for over eight months. But, I hope to go back to the cockpit very soon. I love to fly, and my license is still current.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria went on strike due to the high cost of aviation fuel. What do you think is the way out of that situation?
The AON should not have gone on strike. They are not the trade union to embark on a strike action. I believe if the cost of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1, has increased, it is left for the airlines to go back to their drawing boards, and adjust the prices of flight tickets to reflect the new cost of Jet A1.
I am running an airline and I understand that it is very difficult to run an airline in this country. The cost of aviation fuel is high and taxes are high. Also, the infrastructure is not the best. When one is running an airline, it is like trying to make sure one just succeeds. It means that one is always struggling to succeed as an airline due to the environment that we find ourselves.
The answer to these issues is not for one to withdraw one’s services. The answer is to look at the prices of the tickets and engage the Federal Government where necessary to ensure they provide a conducive environment that would enhance growth in the aviation sector.
If we address those issues and there is a deliberate policy to ensure that the government provides that particular support or policy that would give the airline the ability to grow and prosper, there will be a lot of investments in the sector. But as of now, all the airlines are struggling.
They are struggling to survive and make meagre profit, and it is because of the environment.
If one looks at other airlines in the world, the profit margin may be small, but at least, it is there. I think there have been deliberate policies to handle these issues affecting the airlines. If that is done, the airlines will survive.
What are your most memorable moments as a pilot?
My most interesting moments as a pilot was getting to see most parts of the world. I have flown to Florida (USA), South America, and the Caribbeans. Flying across countries and continents are the highlights of my flying career.
Another memorable moment for me was when I was on an international flight, and there were some challenges when I flew to Europe. There was a volcanic ash. It is one moment I will never forget. Also, when I was a co-pilot, we encountered very bad weather. I was young at that time and I thought it was fun, but it was later I realised it was dangerous. Those are moments I don’t think I will forget as a pilot.
Who were the people that supported you to achieve your dreams?
There are too many of them. The first person was my primary school teacher. She used to call me ‘young pilot’. That alone encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming a pilot.
My dad wanted me to study Medicine. When I was in pre-degree level, I went for Applied Biology. I left when I was going to part two. Back then, we did two years of pre-degree, and three years for degree.
Even at that time, my primary school teacher, although retired, would still call me to ask about my dream to become a pilot. That encouraged me so much. She played a big role in ensuring that I pursued my dream. She was the one who informed me of the interview for pilots when I was at the university. She even sent me the form of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology.
Her name is Mrs Nor and she has passed away. She was a sister to a former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd.).
How did you transit from studying Applied Biology to studying to be a pilot?
I was going to part two when I left Bayero University and joined NCAT in 1987.
Who are your mentors in the industry?
My biggest mentor is Captain Bob Hayes, who is the first Nigerian pilot. I have great respect for him. They are a lot more persons who mentored me in the industry as a pilot.
The late Captain Paul Pahal was the person who flew the airplane when I was going to complete my flight training in the USA. He was also my mentor.
Captain Jonathan Ibrahim is another mentor. These are pioneer pilots in the Nigerian aviation industry, who contributed immensely to the development of the sector.
What are the factors that brought you this far in your career?
First, I have to thank the Almighty God for bringing me this far. It is just by His grace that I have gone this far in my career. My primary and secondary school education, and how I was brought up played a lot of roles in what I am doing now. When I was in secondary school, I had a very good principal, Mustapha Ibrahim, who installed discipline in us (the students).
While I was growing up, my parents were very strict disciplinarians. That shaped me into what I am today – to be very disciplined, have integrity and also be truthful in whatever I do. Those are the qualities that shaped me to be who I am now.
If you had not become a pilot, what would you have become?
I probably would have ended up as a lecturer because I love to impact knowledge on young ones. Perhaps, I would have become a researcher too, because I love carrying out research. I love finding out about new things.
Some people have lost hope in the country. Do you think relocating is the solution?
No, I do not think leaving one’s country is the solution. All these countries that some Nigerians are travelling to, some people stayed there and built them. I understand that our situation is complicated, as we have all the resources, both natural and human, to be a great nation. I believe that one day, Nigeria will be great.
I don’t think there is a need for people to start leaving the country. If everybody leaves the country, who would remain to make it great? Yes, we have challenges but I don’t think ‘japa’ (relocation) would solve them. Our problems are not peculiar to Nigeria, although ours have lingered for a long time. Most of the great nations we hear about have been in existence for hundreds of years, and they also went through their own challenges, but their citizens stayed back to build their countries. I think we should do the same thing.
We have not harnessed the resources that would make us a truly great nation. It is frustrating, especially for the young ones. We have the resources; unfortunately, we have not been blessed with good leaders. That is why we are not where we are supposed to be. The status quo cannot continue, and I am confident that Nigeria will be great in my lifetime.
What are some of the beliefs that shape your life?
I believe in being good to others, making sure that when I leave a place, people would know that I left something good behind. It is extremely important for me to be fair to everybody, especially as a CEO.
As a person, I believe one has to be good to others. We all must make sure that when we leave this world, we should be remembered to have impacted the lives of others positively. That is my firm belief.
What other aspirations do you have for your career?
I believe I can have a positive impact on the lives of the young pilots and engineers coming into the industry, especially by ensuring that opportunities are created for them. I believe there is a lot to be done, as there are many young individuals who are interested in the aviation industry. Consequently, some of them have invested a lot (of resources) to be trained in the aviation sector as cabin crew members, dispatchers, engineers and pilots.
My aspiration is to create opportunities for them to actualise their dreams, and to build their careers in the industry. I have been in the industry for almost 30 years, and I believe that what we have failed to do, be it government or the private sector, is to create opportunities for young people to actualise their dreams of building careers.
We (Aero Contractors) entered into an agreement with NCAT, for them to be sending their young engineers for on-the-job training. It gives me joy to see their faces light up, because they get to practise with the aircraft what they had been taught in class. These opportunities will enable young individuals to build their careers in the aviation industry.
How did you meet your wife and what were the qualities that endeared you to her?
I am married with two kids. I met my wife in Zaria, and we dated for some years. The qualities that made me to marry her include the fact that she was very prudent with my resources. And of course, the love was there. She is very trustworthy and most importantly, sympathetic to others. She loves to help people, and I think we have the same qualities of wanting to impact positively on other people’s lives. Those were the things that attracted me to her. We got married in 1997.
Are you in any way influencing your children to follow the same career path with you?
Not at all. I show them what I do, and ask them what they want to become. I don’t try to influence them to follow my footsteps. I only encourage them on their interests. Most importantly, I ensure they understand that they have to be good to others and humanity.
How do you balance work and family?
I always work and come back home. I have worked outside the country as a pilot on international assignments, but I always come back to meet my family. One must create time for one’s family. Work must not overshadow one’s family time. My wife and my children are quite understanding. And, I ensure I spend time with them.
What is your favourite food and do you know how to prepare it?
I love cooking, and baking, especially chocolate cakes. My favourite food is tuwo shinkafa, and I know how to cook it.
How do you unwind?
I am a very private person. I love cooking when I am indoors, and if I am going outdoors, I love to sail. However, I have not sailed for about a year now; though I think I will go back to it. I play golf too.
