Since she shattered the glass ceiling to emerge as the first female Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku has taken bold steps to mainstream the economic reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration in the aviation sector.
She introduced a number of initiatives that are bound to improve passenger traffic in the sector, with an accompanying increase in revenue, non-aeronautical revenue, and overall positive performance that will contribute a significant chunk to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) figure of N2.43 trillion in internal revenue generated by the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2023.
This she has done through re-engineering productivity in all the departments, enhancing efficiency of personnel through adequate training, and deploying the right tools for service delivery in a critical sector like aviation.
The Bola Tinubu administration has left no one in doubt that it is no longer going to be business as usual but that all sectors must rise to contribute their quota to the overall economy.
It is in achieving this that Mrs. Kuku has proven her capacity and competence to deliver and deep appreciation of the need to make Nigeria work by seamlessly keying into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by mainstreaming safety at airports beyond just compliance to encompass financial, reputational, and operational advantages.
As the helmsman of FAAN, she realised early enough that the onerous task of applying revenue from just two viable airports to service and operate 26 others across the length and breadth of the country was not sustainable.
Being a financial Wizkid with a B.Sc. in Finance and an MBA in International Finance & Strategic Management from the University of Illinois and DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, respectively, she rolled her sleeves and applied her over two decades of remarkable career marked by strategic insight and innovative thinking into handling the situation.
Rather than allow things to drag, Kuku set out to diversify FAAN’s revenue streams by aiming to increase non-aeronautical income through the building of strategic partnerships and incentives to boost airport revenue generation.
She quickly connected the dots between revenue and safety standards and thereafter embarked on massive manpower training to build safety standards.
During her first week in office, she signed the reviewed FAAN Corporate Safety Policy that spelt out her commitment to accountability and responsibility to safety.
In barely 11 months after assumption of office as the Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Kuku walked the talk by clocking in about 2,000-man hours in training, an unprecedented 3,219 number of staff and critical stakeholders across six safety-critical courses.
The experienced technocrat prioritised airport safety as a multifaceted springboard to significantly contribute to passenger confidence, operational efficiency, compliance with regulations, economic growth, and the overall well-being of both travellers and staff.
Kuku is creating the necessary foundation to reposition FAAN to ultimately contribute to a safer and more reliable flying experience in tandem with Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo’s master plan to standardise aviation infrastructure.
As a team player, she has earned the respect and admiration of her management team, which keyed into her policy of empowering staff and stakeholders with prerequisite training in adhering to procedures and technology in line with regulatory bodies like the NCAA, ICAO, ACI, and other sister agencies to enhance world-class protocols based on the latest industry advancements and best practices.
That wise, staff have benefitted from a curriculum of courses in comprehensive strategies and practices through continuous training and safety education through ICAO mandatory programmes, including safety, security personnel, operations, and aerodrome firefighting.
These trainings majorly focus on Airside Operations and Safety Compliance Training (AOSCT), Global Reporting Format (GRF), Aerodrome General Safety Awareness (AGSA) Course, emergency protocols, crisis management, and safety procedures.
With the airport being a hub for activities that facilitate global connections, courses were introduced in Runway Maintenance, Safety Management Systems (SMS), Safety Drills, Upgraded Infrastructure and Technology.
To further boost its commitment to protecting human lives, securing infrastructure, and fostering confidence among travellers and employees alike, trainings were conducted in reporting systems, Fostering a Safety Culture, employee engagement, coordination, and communication, public information/messaging, and regular safety audits and assessments, amongst others.
Maintaining a safe airport environment is a dynamic process that requires constant vigilance and a culture that encourages everyone, from frontline employees to senior leaders, to take ownership of safety standards; therefore, intensive training was conducted in Improving Runway and Taxiway Design and Implementation of Comprehensive Safety Management Systems.
Aviation stakeholders have applauded Kuku’s dogged pursuit beyond compliance with standards to boost the confidence of travellers and the airport community. The massive renovation of Terminal 1, popularly known as GAT, from her lean resources has brought relief and comfort to passengers.
She has also embarked on the reconstruction of the International Airport Road, roads leading to the airside, as well as drainages.
Surveillance systems are also being installed to boost safety and passenger confidence and comfort.
Her recent initiative to think outside the box and successfully engage the Lagos State Government to partner in the construction and rehabilitation of roads within the airport vicinity to ease the stress of passengers has received high applause.
She explained, “We understand that travellers trust us with their well-being, and this is the reason why every investment we make, every policy we put in place, is about ensuring safe and reliable travel for all.”
Compliance with safety regulations reassures airlines, government bodies, and investors, fostering better relationships and support.
It also encourages more travellers, which stimulates growth in tourism and related industries, ultimately improving its internally generated revenue and contributing to the national purse!
Kuku’s giant strides have not only received recognition in Nigeria, with several awards in her kitty, including FAAN being ranked among the Top 5 Most Improved Agencies in Nigeria by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), but the global aviation industry is shifting its focus to Nigeria.
The prestigious global body, Airport Council International (ACI), honoured the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria with two prestigious safety awards during her Africa Conference held in South Africa.
Her eventual appointment onto the Board of ACI is a further affirmation of her standing as a global ambassador.
These are no mean achievements awards in less than just one year in office.