Shell Headquarters
Ejiofor Alike
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Nigeria Limited and Caverton Helicopters target to achieve 75per cent Nigerian Content in their aviation partnership in accordance with the Nigerian Content Act of 2010.
Speaking in Lagos at a recent Shell Nigeria Aviation Strategic Business Performance Review (BPR), the Managing Director of SPDC and Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, said the target was part of Shell’s continued commitment to support local companies.
Sunmonu said the partnership was signed by his company and Caverton Helicopters in association with DanCopter in June 2010 for provision of logistics support for Shell.
He noted that his company had saved about $20million in the cost of operations since the partnership was signed while the staff strength of Caverton Helicopters jumped from 120 to over 500, with more efficient operations.
He said Shell’s partnership with a local company was part of his company’s support to the Federal Government’s programme of developing local capacity.
“So, this partnership, for me, is a great initiative in the sense that it is like helping a small company to grow. This partnership is not about Caverton making short term money. It is about Shell helping Caverton to grow a business and to build a business. That, to me is very significant. They had grown from staff strength of 120 to over 500 since they started to work with Shell. They had increased their fleet size from two machines to about eight machines,” he said.
Sunmonu also stated that the partnership also facilitated the nomination of Caverton Helicopters as a service centre for AugustoWestland.
He said his company would continue to support indigenous contractors that have demonstrable commitment to the Nigerian Content Act, adding that his company has also offered financial support to Caverton.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Caverton Helicopters, Mr. Sola Falola, said his company had 35per cent expatriate staff and 65per cent Nigerian, adding that it planned to achieve 75 per cent Nigerian content in the next couple of years.
“The partnership with Shell is about developing capacity; developing national content and developing aviation capacity and the ability of an indigenous company to meet global standards and to be able to perform up to global standards. That is what the partnership is all about,” he said.
Falola said his company had received assistance from Shell in the areas of safety and quality.
He stated that Shell is a barometer for standard and safety, adding that any contractor that wins Shell contract has recorded a major breakthrough.