In a major push to flip the script on Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, better known as NAHCO, is positioning itself as the vital bridge between local farms and foreign dinner tables.
At a high-level capacity forum in Lagos, NAHCO’s Executive Director, Prince Saheed Lasisi, sent a clear message to small business owners: you are the engine of the nation’s 1-trillion-dollar economic dream.
But moving perishables isn’t just about growing crops; it’s about surviving the journey.
Lasisi noted that while many SMEs struggle with the “how-to” of international shipping, NAHCO sits at the center of the export value chain, acting as the crucial link between exporters, airlines, and regulators.
To back this up, the company has launched a specialized Export Packaging and Processing Centre, the only one of its kind in Nigeria, designed to ensure that Nigerian products don’t just reach the airport, but actually meet the strict quality and preservation standards required by international buyers.
The urgency of this move was echoed by leaders from NACCIMA and Polaris Bank, who pointed out a glaring irony: while 90% of Nigeria’s foreign earnings still cling to crude oil, the vast majority of our businesses are actually small-scale enterprises.
Industry experts at the event highlighted that cargo planes often arrive in Nigeria full but fly back empty, a missed opportunity that NAHCO and its partners, including major carriers like Turkish Cargo and Lufthansa, are now working to correct.
By streamlining logistics and offering a dedicated export desk, NAHCO isn’t just handling cargo; they are building a “backbone” for a more resilient, non-oil future.
