Business
Arik Air: Nigerian father and son create and run West Africa’s largest airline
Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide – founder and Chairman of Arik Air
Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide is the founder and Chairman of West Africa’s largest airline, Arik Air – a company he founded in 2002.
Lagos-based Arik Air which began with a single Hawker jet aircraft, now boasts of a fleet of over 23 aircraft in service. Currently it has placed an order for 18 more airplanes (including 2 Boeing 747 jets). The airline has also become the national carrier of the neighboring country, Sierra Leone.
Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide – Group CEO of Arik Air
Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide was appointed Group CEO of Arik Air in 2009. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he had helped his father Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide set up and run Arik International – which is headquartered in London, UK in April 2007.
The father and son pair have together created and run an airline that now records volumes of up to 5 million passengers a year. This number is expected to increase with the airline’s planned expansion.
In addition to Nigerian and other West African destinations, Arik Air has been given authorization and flies to Trinidad & Tobago, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, London, Madrid and is in the process of obtaining approval for more destinations in Europe.
