L-R: Mr.Dele Aloko, O’BIS Consulting, Mr. Kola Bamigboye,Ag.COO/Head Space &Premises Management, BASL, Mrs. Olubanwo Adeosun, Lead Consultant, O’BIA Consulting; Remi Jibodu, Ag.COO/Head, Aeronautical & Cargo Services BASL; Mr. IB Udofia, O’BIA Consulting
For nearly two decades, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited has been proving that a private Nigerian company can not only build an airport terminal, but run it to world-class standard in one of the continent’s toughest operating environments. This week at its mid-year management retreat, the operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two signaled they are ready for something bigger: to become the leading aviation hub in the region.
Held over three days and themed “Leadership for Total Quality Delivery,” the retreat gathered BASL’s senior management and key partners to pause, reflect, and chart the next phase of growth for MMA2. It was less about speeches and more about honest conversation, the kind that asks where the company is today, where it wants to go, and what leadership behavior it will take to get there.
Chairman Dr. Wale Babalakin opened the session by taking the team back to the beginning, to a time when many doubted that a private firm could successfully develop and operate an airport terminal in Nigeria. “From the outset, I believed in the potential of this project, even when many doubted,” he said. That belief, he noted, has carried BASL through challenges and into its 20th year of managing MMA2. The achievement, he told the room, is not just about concrete and conveyor belts. It is about competence and integrity, values he described as non-negotiable. “We have successfully managed this terminal for nearly 20 years. That achievement reflects the resilience and capability of our team,” he said.
But the past was only a launching pad. The real energy in the room came from what comes next. Dr. Babalakin disclosed that progress on long-standing concession matters has finally opened a new window for MMA2. “In the coming days, we will sign the settlement agreement to further position MMA2 internationally and advance our ambition of becoming a leading aviation hub in Africa,” he announced. He credited the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for helping to resolve issues that had held the concession back for years, and said the breakthrough now comes with greater responsibility. “With this progress comes greater responsibility. We must continue to lead with excellence, strengthen collaboration and build an organization that inspires pride.”
That ambition is clear and unapologetic. BASL wants to establish and operate the best airport terminal not just in Nigeria, but across West Africa and beyond. Achieving that, the Chairman said, will demand honest self-assessment, continuous improvement, and a sustained commitment to excellence from every leader in the building.
To drive that, the retreat brought in Mrs. Olubanwo Adeosun, Lead Consultant at O’BIA Consulting, to facilitate frank sessions on leadership effectiveness, service delivery, operational improvements, organizational culture, and preparations for regional expansion. Adeosun said what stood out was the leadership team’s willingness to engage deeply. “The retreat created an opportunity for the leadership team to have honest conversations about where the organization is today, where it wants to go, and the leadership behaviours required to get there. What stood out was the willingness to reflect, engage and take collective responsibility for driving the desired change,” she noted.
The message was received. Mr. Kola Bamigboye, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Head of Space and Premises Management, said the team left the retreat energized and focused on execution. For him, the work now shifts from strategy to action. “The focus now is on translating the outcomes of this retreat into deliberate actions, strengthening leadership alignment, improving communication and accountability, and ensuring that the changes we have identified are reflected in how we lead and work across the organization,” he said. He added that going forward, progress will be tracked deliberately so that the commitments made do not end on flip charts.
Across the three days, the discussions kept circling back to the passenger. How can MMA2 improve the travel experience? How can operations be tighter, culture stronger, and service more consistent? How can the terminal leverage its new momentum to compete not just locally, but regionally? Those questions shaped every session, because BASL understands that in aviation, quality is not a slogan. It is felt in the time it takes to check in, the cleanliness of a restroom, the courtesy of staff, and the reliability of systems.
As the retreat closed, BASL reaffirmed its commitment to delivering world-class airport services and to strengthening its role as a key player in Nigeria’s aviation industry. With a settlement agreement on the horizon, two decades of experience behind it, and a leadership team now aligned on “total quality delivery,” MMA2 appears poised to step into its next chapter. The goal is no longer just to run a terminal well. It is to set the standard for what an African airport terminal can be.
