Aero Contractors: who is in control?
Aero Contractors B737-400 |
The previous owners of Nigeria's Aero Contractors
(NIG, Lagos) are keen to take back control from current majority owners, the
Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), reports news site This Day.
Previous to AMCON stepping in, Aero Contractors was
100% owned by the Ibru family. AMCON acquired a 60% stake in late 2012 after
the carrier found itself unable to pay its debts. At the time, then Managing
Director of AMCON, Mustafa Chike-Obi, said the government body would be happy
to sell its stake. "If somebody wants to buy our 60 per cent stake in Aero
tomorrow at a profit; absolutely, we will consider it. We are not emotional
about it," he said. In February 2016, AMCON dissolved the Aero board and
took over management of the airline.
According to This Day's sources, the Ibru family is
willing to pay off 50% of the debt, which currently stands at around NGN35
billion (USD115 million). This would put them in a position to renegotiate
their shareholding position.
"If they pay there will be a restructure of the
share capital, but AMCON will still own the capital but it will remove the
receivership of the company, then the Ibru family can get an investor who will
now buy AMCON shares," the source is quoted as saying.
Last month, Aero Contractors announced it would lay
off around 60% of its workforce – approximately 900 employees – in a bid to
realign its aircraft-to-employee ratio.
“The current situation where over a thousand people
are basically not engaged due to lack of serviceable aircraft is not
sustainable for the airline," an airline statement said.
According to the ch-aviation aircraft database, Aero
Contractors currently operates a fleet of seven aircraft on regular flights
covering Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt Omagwa, and Sokoto.
(1) B737-400,
(2) B737-500s (both inactive),
(1) Dash 8-200,
(1) Dash 8-200, and
(2) Dash 8-400s.
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/55324-aero-contractors-previous-owners-keen-to-take-back-control
Comments