Business
Overland Redefines Excellence In Nigeria’s Air Transport
CAPTAIN Edward Boyo is the Chief Executive Officer of Overland Airways. He is a globally renowned expert in aviation and air transport development.
Together with his team of professionals, Boyo has diligently managed Overland Airways, Nigeria’s most consistent, longest -serving airline that has provided uninterrupted flight services over the past 15 years in Nigeria. As Overland Airways marks its 15years Anniversary, Captain Boyo in this interview reiterates the commitment of the Airline to serve the economy.
Overland Airways is marking its 15 years of flight services, and is today the most consistent longest -serving airline in Nigeria. As the Chief Executive Officer of the airline, how would you describe the journey so far?
Overland Airways has served the economy diligently for the past 15 years and we are thankful to God Almighty for that. just like any other business, the journey of Overland Airways is replete with exciting and challenging moments. When we started out our journey as an airline, we had a singular vision and objective to be successful in serving the economy by moving people from one location to another in safety and comfort and in a professional manner that adds value to their businesses and living.
We anticipated there would be challenges, and we as much as possible try to be realistic when addressing these challenges.
In other words, our journey is a journey driven by commitment to service. The Nigerian economy is faced by many challenges, and every Nigerian is expected to come out with solutions at various levels and competencies. Our niche is in providing Nigeria with air interconnectivity, connecting people and places together to create business and pleasure; and we serve with all our heart in that regard. That is our journey as Overland Airways.
We pioneered flight services to Ibadan, Ilorin, Akure, Dutse, Jalingo, Asaba, Kaduna, Abuja, among others, to assist investors, students, government officials, holiday makers and others get easier and safer means of movement to and from remote economies.
This has paid dividends to these economics and that is the essence of our journey as an airline. We have stepped up our core competences and capabilities over these years, for instance Overland Airways has undergone the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and is listed on the IOSA Registry.
Overland is also a proud member of IATA, a community of respectable Airlines dictating global best practices and standard in the world today. These are world-class achievements and Overland Airways today sits among the world’s leading airlines in terms of operational safety standards and overall quality.
It would have been a disservice if we ventured into service with the wrong tools and capabilities. Therefore, part of our commitment is to serve the right way, bringing our global experiences into delivering the excellent world class services that Overland Airways provides today.
Make no mistakes about it, setting up an airline is easier to achieve than running the airline sustainably which is a complex and challenging task. Our ability to run Overland Airways successfully and sustainably over these past 15 years is a feat that has preserved and set Overland Airways apart today as an industry leader setting standard of top-quality airline management in Nigeria and the West Africa region. As long as mankind exists, the journey of an airline continues. So I can say that even at 15 years, the journey of Overland Airways has just begun.
You are about the only airline Chief Executive Officer that is also a Pilot actively flying your passengers regularly. What has been your key motivation and driving force?
Well, I will say that I am actuated by the need to serve. I believe the resources should not be wasted but brought to bear on driving our corporate economic goals. Again, flying is a vacation which I see as a service. I also believe no one is too big to serve whenever one finds oneself. When we set the right direction through our own activities as leaders, it becomes easier to bring the next generation into line as example, is a good way to express leadership.
At Overland Airways we have six core values, namely professionalism, excellence, safety, accountability, working hard and integrity. When you look at these, there is no provision for laxity; and to provide leadership under these concepts should come with a good measure of appropriate examples. To me I see it as leading from the front rather than from the sidelines or back.
Finally, I enjoy it and I am not about to leave it; my passengers too enjoy it and they are not about to give it up. It’s a unique selling proposition of Overland Airways and a win-win for all sides. it is an important part of the sweet service experience we deliver to our passengers.
Overland Airways had previously hinted of plans to venture into West African markets. Where are you now on this?
Let me start by saying that Overland Airways is proud to be a member Airline of IATA. This international seal of excellent world-class airline standard complements Overland Airways’s characteristic high quality service. The same commitment we have to help transform hinterland economies in Nigeria is what we are taking to the regional arena to integrate the regional economies in West Africa. Nigeria is our home and Africa is our world.
At 15years we are old enough to venture. Our studies and practical demonstration at home matches tell us we shall overcome the challenges of the away matches and we are set to go.
In fact, Overland Airways has been operating excellent charter services in the region over these past 15years; but we will extend our schedule services to the region to play our part in the economic integration of West Africa.
This is inline with the ICAO concept of ‘No Country Left Behind ‘, and also reflects our passion to drive the realization of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 objective to transform Africa’s economy. We must begin to emphasize on professionalism and world-class standard in providing solution to challenges confronting us as a region. It is necessary that we add value and not only wait for solutions from abroad.
Overland Airways is widely known as an economic development partner opening up hinterland routes. What is the motivation for the airline in this regard?
Hinterland routes or secondary airports in remote economies are all a key part of the national economy that should be adequately developed to ensure fair distribution and transformation of national wealth. Providing easy access enables hinterland economies develop faster and benefit from various economic development schemes.
Overland Airways fills the gap in economic development by interconnecting hinterland economies and also linking them to hub economies. That is why we have dedicated flights to places like Ibadan, Akure, Ilorin, Asaba, Dutse, Jalingo, etc.
Even though there is an increasing rate of rural-urban migration, the rural and semi-urban areas still hold a greater portion of Nigeria’s over 180 million population and abundant workforce, as well as untapped natural resources such as arable land, mineral resources, etc .
These resources are of no benefit if they are not exploited and transformed to add value to people’s lives. Some of these remote economies produce some of the best solid minerals and agricultural products in the world today.
Overland Airways ensures that investors, agribusiness owners, researchers, students, agencies, and community dwellers have easy air access to these locations which are usually considered inaccessible or difficult to access by road for accelerated development.
Sustaining world-class airline services to these hinterland routes comes with courage and determination and a high level of airline professionalism. And they love us because we bring world-class, airline services to their doorsteps. What more can they ask for, as we are always willing to do more to create greater value for them, which is the reason why Overland Airways is in existence.
What do you look to in another 10 to 15 years for Overland Airways?
If God grants long life, I will be around for another 15 years. The vision of Overland Airways and commitment to economic development remains firmly the same, and can only be strengthened as the years go by. What will expand is the scale of operation in the evolution of the airline. We will continue to embrace technology and improve investment in our human capital and operating Assets, in order to increase the value we create for the customer.
This means that we will expand our routes sustainably within Nigerian and the West Africa region, and also partner with Airline entities from other regions within and outside Africa to complement our route expansion efforts. We will also expand our fleet with more aircraft to serve our customers better. Overland Airways will become a household name on every lip in Africa, outlive many generations to exist and infinitum and will become the foremost economic development partner in the region.
Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Limited has been listed among the 100 Safe Companies to Do Business With in Africa for 2025 by Emerging Elites Magazine International, in recognition of the firm’s integrity-driven operations, strict compliance culture, and employee-focused policies.
The award was presented to the Managing Director of the company, Engr. Adunola Oseni, at a ceremony attended by members of Sedabuk’s management and staff, alongside the editorial board and team of Emerging Elites Magazine in Lagos.
Presenting the award, the Editor-in-Chief of Emerging Elites Magazine International, Princess Olivia Chukwuma, said Sedabuk emerged after a “thorough, transparent and merit-based selection process” designed to identify African businesses that exemplify excellence and ethical conduct.
According to her, the 100 Safe Companies to Do Business With in Africa Award is an international initiative created to recognise indigenous African companies with proven records of integrity, safety, and best business practices, noting that awardees are continuously monitored and recertified every three years if standards are sustained.
The MD of Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Limited, Engr. Adunola Oseni, poses with the Certificate of Award shortly after the company was recognised among Africa’s 100 safest companies to do business with.
Chukwuma said Sedabuk was selected for its employee-centric culture, stressing that the company has no record of unpaid salaries since inception, maintains fair wages, and prioritises staff welfare through initiatives such as its “One Nutritional Meal a Day” programme, which she described as “rare and commendable” in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
She also cited the firm’s zero-tolerance policy for fraud, recalling a June 2022 incident in which a pump attendant was sanctioned for under-dispensing fuel while affected customers were compensated, an action she said “clearly reflects Sedabuk’s philosophy of integrity in service delivery.”
Other factors that earned the company the award, she said, include its reputation for honouring contracts, absence of contract-related court cases, strict adherence to safety standards, and voluntary compliance with regulatory obligations, taxes, and statutory dues without coercion.
“With these attributes and more, Sedabuk Oil and Gas has become a beacon of hope—a new breed of Nigerian company that is trustworthy, valuable, and safe to do business with,” Chukwuma said, as she inducted the firm into the Hall of Fame of the 100 Businesses Safe to Do Business With in Africa 2025.
MD, Engr.Adunola Oseni and staff of Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Limited during the presentation of a Certificate of Award by The Emerging Elites Magazine International, honouring the company’s adherence to safety standards and best business practices.
Responding, the Managing Director, Engr. Adunola Oseni described the recognition as “a validation of our core values and a strong motivation to do more,” adding that the award belonged to the entire workforce of the company.
“We will continue to uphold integrity, safety, and transparency in all our operations, remain committed to staff welfare and regulatory compliance, and set standards that others in the industry can emulate,” the Sedabuk boss said.
Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry on Tuesday reinforced its reputation as a people-centred organisation as it rewarded outstanding employees with cash prizes totalling over ₦10 million at its 2025 Employee Recognition and Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
The event, which attracted over 300 staff members alongside top management officials from across the company’s divisions and subsidiaries, was organised to celebrate excellence, dedication, and loyalty within the Sedabuk workforce.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director, Engr. Adunola Oseni, described the occasion as one of the proudest moments in the company’s journey, noting that Sedabuk’s steady growth has been deliberately anchored on staff welfare and well-being. She said the company, from inception, made a firm commitment to put its people first, stressing that no organisation can truly thrive if its workforce is neglected.
Oseni disclosed that Sedabuk has never owed or delayed salaries since it commenced operations, describing prompt payment as a mark of respect and responsibility. She added that the company reviewed and increased salaries twice in 2025, improved wages across the board, and sustained its seven-year-old One-Day-Meal Programme to ensure employees do not work hungry.
The managing director announced cash awards spanning retail operations, station-based roles, marts, laundromats, and group-wide excellence categories, explaining that the initiative was not just about financial rewards but about recognising hard work and reinforcing a culture of appreciation. According to her, a loyal and motivated workforce remains the company’s most valuable asset.
She assured staff that management is entering 2026 with stronger welfare policies, better incentives, and more opportunities, with the aim of positioning Sedabuk as one of the best organisations to work in Nigeria. Oseni further urged employees to raise the bar in the coming year by working harder, smarter, and together.
Several employees emerged winners across key categories, including Pump Attendant of the Year, Station Captain of the Year, Mart and Laundromat Excellence Awards, and Special Recognition honours.
The highlight of the ceremony was the Group Chairman’s Spirit of Excellence Award, where Adediran Segun Aderonke emerged Sedabuk Star of the Year with a ₦2 million prize, while Ibiloye Olayinka won the Most Outstanding Employee of the Year award with ₦1 million.
In his remarks, the Group Head, Human Resources and Administration, Mr. Adeleye Olusanjo, lauded the managing director for her consistent leadership and unwavering commitment to staff welfare, assuring employees that more incentives and improved support structures are already being planned for 2026.
The event was attended by senior executives, including the General Manager, Finance and Strategy, Mr. Aderoju Sola; the Group Head, Operations and Logistics, Mr. Rufus Enioshunwa; and the Group Head, Corporate Audit, Risks and Ethics, Mrs. Tolulope Omotola, among others.
Established in 2018, Sedabuk Oil & Gas Industry Ltd operates over 12 petrol stations across Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has raised a red flag over two cryptocurrency products — Zugacoin and Samzuga GPT — warning the Nigerian public to steer clear of them.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the apex capital market regulator described the digital assets as unauthorised crypto schemes with no legal backing or regulatory approval in Nigeria.
According to the Commission, neither the promoters nor issuers of Zugacoin and Samzuga GPT are registered to operate in any capacity within the Nigerian capital market.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that Zugacoin and Samzuga GPT are meme coins,” the SEC said. “Meme coins generally have no use case, intrinsic value, or tangible projects backing them.”
The regulator added that the only perceived value of such coins often stems from aggressive promotion by their creators or community hype, making them prime candidates for “pump-and-dump” fraud — a deceptive scheme where promoters artificially inflate the price of a coin through misleading information before dumping it at peak value, leaving unsuspecting investors with massive losses.
“Once the promoters dump their coins and stop hyping the coin, the coin price typically falls and investors lose money,” the SEC warned.
The Commission urged members of the public to avoid engaging in the purchase or promotion of Zugacoin, Samzuga GPT, or any similar crypto assets, noting that anyone who chooses to invest in such schemes does so entirely at their own risk.
To further safeguard investors, the SEC advised the public to always verify the legitimacy of any virtual, crypto, or digital assets and their promoters through its official platforms:
https://home.sec.gov.ng/fintech-and-innovation-hub-finport/registered-fintech-operators/
www.sec.gov.ng/cmos
This warning is the latest in the SEC’s ongoing crackdown on fraudulent digital asset operations targeting unsuspecting Nigerians amid a rise in crypto-related scams.
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