International Aviation & Transport Advisory

Clarity
at Altitude.

Practitioner-led advisory across the full aviation value chain — from aerodrome certification to national airline establishment, oil & gas aviation to sovereign infrastructure finance.

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40+ Years Experience
4 ATPL Jurisdictions
3 Airline CEO Mandates
11,000 Flight Hours Logged
Nigerian Eagle Airlines aircraft on the ramp
2007 Est. Lagos, Nigeria
About the Firm

Not desktop analysis.
Practitioner advisory.

Shatirol Advisory is a Lagos-based international aviation and transport advisory firm with an operational history spanning nearly two decades. The firm provides end-to-end advisory across the full aviation value chain — serving state and federal governments, aviation developers, institutional investors, and financial institutions across sub-Saharan Africa.

What distinguishes Shatirol Advisory from sector-specific consultancies is the breadth of the principal's direct operational experience: over 40 years spanning the cockpit, the boardroom, and the regulator's office. This is the perspective that shapes every mandate.

Shatirol Advisory is retained where the mandate demands credibility with regulators, governments, and DFIs simultaneously — and where advisory coverage must span strategy, operations, regulatory compliance, and commercial structure without requiring multiple firms.

Full value chain coverage — aerodrome licensing to airline AOC to sovereign infrastructure guarantee in a single engagement
Principal-led, always — every engagement is led directly by Capt. Dapo Olumide FRAeS, not delegated to associates
Regulatory authority credibility — former NCAA Authorized Examiner (IRE/TRE) and Flight Operations Inspector; the regulator's perspective from inside
What We Do

Six verticals. One advisory relationship.

Each service line is grounded in direct operational experience, not framework-based consulting. Mandates are accepted on a project or retainer basis, with scope and deliverables agreed in advance.

Gateway International Airport — ATC tower and RFFS station
01
Airport & Aerodrome Advisory

From gap analysis to operational readiness — greenfield through first commercial flight.

  • Aerodrome certification — NCAA Part 12 compliance
  • ICAO Annex 14 assessments and corrective action
  • Aerodrome Manual, ERP, Safety Management System
  • Airline attraction and slot coordination strategy
  • Greenfield airport development advisory
Gateway Air CRJ-900 on the ramp at GWI
02
Airline Advisory & Start-up

National carrier establishment to airline restructuring — full-spectrum AOC advisory.

  • National airline establishment, incorporation to AOC
  • Accountable Manager advisory; NCAA post-holder engagement
  • Fleet selection, aircraft acquisition, lease negotiation
  • Route viability, market entry, O&D traffic analysis
  • Financial modelling, fleet plan, CASK, headcount
Aerocontractors helicopter on offshore platform
03
Oil & Gas Aviation

Helicopter operator advisory from Aerocontractors-grade operational knowledge.

  • Helicopter operator AOC — NCAA Part 9 compliance
  • O&G aviation contract structuring and operator assessment
  • Mob/demob costing, crew deployment frameworks
  • Offshore operations SMS for helicopter operators
Aviation regulatory compliance
04
Regulatory Compliance & Safety

NCAA audit preparation, ICAO USOAP readiness, and AOC compliance lifecycle.

  • NCAA audit preparation and gap remediation
  • ICAO USOAP readiness and corrective action programmes
  • AOC renewal, variation, and extension advisory
  • SMS design, Just Culture, CRM programme review
Urban cable car system
05
Urban Transport Infrastructure

Africa's first sovereign passenger revenue shortfall guarantee — cable car to PPP.

  • Urban cable car development — concept through EPC
  • PPP framework design and government transaction advisory
  • Sovereign revenue guarantee structuring (FGN/state)
  • Operator certification and aerial ropeway safety framework
Infrastructure investment advisory
06
Infrastructure Investment Advisory

Technical due diligence and transaction advisory for DFIs, lenders, and investors.

  • Aviation and transport project development for DFIs
  • Feasibility analysis, project management, cost oversight
  • Transaction advisory — M&A, private equity, project finance
  • Airport and airline due diligence for lenders and investors
The Difference

Why Shatirol Advisory.

Most aviation consultancies advise on discrete elements of the value chain. Shatirol Advisory occupies a different position: all-in-one, principal-led, with the credibility that comes from having held the most senior accountable roles in the industry.

01
End-to-End Coverage
From aerodrome certification to airline AOC, from cable car EPC to sovereign revenue guarantee — coherent advisory across the entire mandate, eliminating coordination risk.
02
The Regulator's Perspective
Former NCAA Authorized Examiner and Flight Operations Inspector. Direct understanding of how regulators assess compliance and what corrective actions actually close findings.
03
Accountable Manager Insight
CEO and Accountable Manager at Virgin Nigeria, Nigeria Air, and Aerocontractors. Advice shaped by the experience of personally holding the licence.
04
International Standards Benchmark
ATPLs from UK CAA, Dutch RLD, USA FAA, and Nigeria NCAA. BSc Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle (GPA 4.0). Benchmarks against ICAO, EASA, and FAA — not NCAA compliance alone.
Executive advisory meeting
"This is practitioner-level advisory, not desktop analysis."
Shatirol Advisory — Corporate Profile, 2026
Proven Mandates

Track Record

A selection of engagements spanning government advisory, national airline establishment, airport development, and infrastructure investment. Confidentiality obligations preclude disclosure of certain commercial details.

2024 – Present
Gateway International Airport — GWI/DNOG
Airport Development Management Consultant · Ogun State Government

Lead advisory appointment for the operationalisation of Gateway International Airport. Scope: aerodrome certification, NCAA regulatory compliance, operational readiness, airline attraction, and ongoing airport management oversight. Supported the airport through NCAA aerodrome licence issuance to commencement of scheduled commercial operations.

Airport Development
Feb 2022 – Sep 2023
Nigeria Air Limited — Federal Government of Nigeria
CEO / Accountable Manager · National Carrier Establishment

Appointed as part of the ex-Lufthansa advisory team mandated by the Federal Government to establish and launch Nigeria's national carrier to EASA standards. Responsible for regulatory compliance, organisational structuring, post-holder appointments, SMS establishment, and NCAA engagement for AOC issuance.

National Airline
2011 – Present
Lagos Cable Car System — Lagos State Government
Transport Advisor / Project Developer

Long-running advisory mandate from concept through execution. Responsibilities include EPC contract negotiation, construction management oversight, and the structuring of a Sovereign Passenger Revenue Shortfall Guarantee from the Federal Government of Nigeria — a landmark transaction for African urban transport infrastructure.

Urban Infrastructure
2020
Freetown Urban Cable Car — Government of Sierra Leone
Government Advisor · PPP Structuring

Retained as advisor to the Government of Sierra Leone for an urban cable car system in Freetown. Mandate covered system feasibility, project concept development, operator framework, and PPP structuring advisory appropriate to the Sierra Leone fiscal and regulatory context.

Government Advisory
Nov 2008 – Apr 2010
Virgin Nigeria Airways
CCO → Deputy MD → CEO / Accountable Manager

Progressed from Chief Commercial Officer to CEO within 18 months. Led all commercial, operational, financial, and technical functions; maintained NCAA AOC compliance; managed the airline through significant ownership transition while ensuring regulatory continuity and passenger safety obligations.

Airline Operations
Nov 2007 – Nov 2008
Africa Finance Corporation
Transport Infrastructure Specialist

Advised AFC on airports, seaports, roads, bridges, and aircraft and ship leasing. Projects included the Olokola Deep Sea Port ($1.8 billion), Port Harcourt Ring Road ($700 million), and Lagos/Badagry 6-lane toll road ($500 million). Feasibility analysis, environmental impact scoping, and project management supervision.

Infrastructure Finance
1983 – 2007
Aerocontractors Company of Nigeria
Chief Pilot → DMD/COO → CEO / Accountable Manager

24-year operational career at Nigeria's premier helicopter and fixed-wing operator serving the oil and gas sector. Rose from pilot to CEO and Accountable Manager, holding NCAA Authorized Examiner (IRE/TRE) and Flight Operations Inspector designations across both airline and helicopter divisions.

O&G Aviation · 24 Years
2008 – 2009
Lekki Airport Masterplan — Lagos State
Technical Advisory Consultant

Aviation advisor and Technical Advisory Consultant for the Lekki Airport Masterplan, covering site concept advisory, airport category and capacity planning, and master plan review for the proposed international airport serving the Lekki-Epe development corridor.

Airport Planning
The Principal

Leadership

Capt. Dapo Olumide FRAeS — Founder & Principal, Shatirol Advisory
Capt. Dapo Olumide
Founder & Principal — FRAeS
FRAeS UK CAA ATPL FAA ATPL Dutch RLD NCAA ATPL 11,000 hrs

Capt. Olumide is one of the most experienced aviation executives in sub-Saharan Africa, with a career spanning 40-plus years from the cockpit to the boardroom. He began at Aerocontractors Company of Nigeria in 1983, rising from pilot to CEO and Accountable Manager over a 24-year tenure — concurrently serving as an NCAA Authorized Examiner (IRE/TRE) and Flight Operations Inspector, a combination that is rare among advisory practitioners.

As CEO of Virgin Nigeria Airways, he led one of the country's highest-profile airline operations through significant commercial and regulatory pressure. As CEO and Accountable Manager of Nigeria Air Limited, he was part of the ex-Lufthansa transaction team engaged by the Federal Government to establish the new national carrier to EASA standards.

Concurrently, he built a 17-year parallel advisory career developing a track record in airport development, urban cable car infrastructure, and government transport advisory across Nigeria, Lagos State, and Sierra Leone. He holds a BSc in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (GPA 4.0, Dean's List) and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Academic
BSc Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle (GPA 4.0, Dean's List)
ATPLs
UK CAA · Dutch RLD · USA FAA · Nigeria NCAA
Type Ratings
B737-300/400/500 · BAC 1-11 · Falcon 900 · Hawker 125 · Dash-8
Flight Hours
11,000 total · 8,000 PIC · 9,000 EFIS · 3,000 Jet
NCAA Designations
Authorized Examiner IRE/TRE · Flight Operations Inspector (1998–2004)
Industry Role
Vice Chairman, African Airlines Association (AFRAA) 2009–2010
Who We Serve

Clients & Counterparts

Shatirol Advisory serves decision-makers at the intersection of government mandate, institutional capital, and aviation operations.

State & Federal Governments
Transport ministries, airport authorities, state aviation agencies, and sovereign infrastructure funds requiring aviation or transport advisory.
National Airline Development
Governments and institutional sponsors establishing new national or regional carriers, requiring full-spectrum AOC advisory from concept to first revenue flight.
Airport Developers & Operators
Greenfield airport developers, state-owned airport companies, and concessionaire operators requiring aerodrome certification, operational readiness, or regulatory compliance support.
Development Finance Institutions
DFIs, multilateral lenders, and infrastructure funds requiring technical due diligence, feasibility advisory, or sector expertise for aviation and transport infrastructure investments.
Airlines & Helicopter Operators
Commercial airlines, charter operators, and oil and gas aviation companies requiring operational advisory, regulatory compliance, fleet strategy, or restructuring support.
Infrastructure Investors & EPC Contractors
Private equity, infrastructure funds, and contractors engaged in airport, cable car, or urban transport projects requiring sector advisory and government stakeholder management.
Selected clients & assignment counterparts
Africa Finance Corporation Africa Finance Corporation
ARKEN ARKEN
Aviation Partners Africa Aviation Partners Africa
Central Bank of Nigeria Central Bank of Nigeria
Coco Airlines Coco Airlines
First Bank of Nigeria First Bank of Nigeria
GEPETROL Star Travel GEPETROL Star Travel
KPMG KPMG
Lagos State Government Lagos State Government
Montserrado Montserrado
Ogun State Government Ogun State Government
Republic of Sierra Leone Republic of Sierra Leone
SkyPath Services SkyPath Services
Volta Air Volta Air
Wema Bank Wema Bank
Yinka Folawiyo Group Yinka Folawiyo Group
Thought Leadership

Insights & Perspectives

Analysis and commentary on aviation policy, infrastructure development, and transport economics in sub-Saharan Africa — from the practitioner's vantage point.

Gateway International Airport
Airport Development
Gateway International Airport: What Ogun State Got Right

A greenfield airport achieving aerodrome licence issuance and scheduled commercial operations in the current NCAA regulatory environment is not routine. The model holds lessons for state aviation programmes across Nigeria.

Request the Briefing →
Nigerian Eagle Airlines
Regulatory
Nigeria Air and the National Carrier Question: What the Record Shows

Three national carrier attempts in twenty years. The structural challenges are well understood; what is less well understood is where each attempt broke down operationally and why the EASA-standard model was the right instinct at the wrong moment.

Request the Briefing →
Urban cable car infrastructure
Urban Infrastructure
Sovereign Revenue Guarantees for Urban Transport: The Lagos Cable Car Precedent

Structuring Africa's first sovereign passenger revenue shortfall guarantee required navigating FGN fiscal instruments, LASG political constraints, and EPC contractor risk allocation simultaneously. The structure is replicable.

Request the Briefing →
Engage the Firm

Start a Conversation

Shatirol Advisory accepts mandates on a project or retainer basis. Initial engagement begins with a scoping discussion, following which the firm provides a structured proposal outlining scope, deliverables, timeline, and fee structure.

Email
info@shatirol.com
Mobile
+234 (0) 803 554 0000
Location
Lagos, Nigeria
Website
www.shatirol.com
Enquiry Form

All enquiries are treated with strict confidentiality. Responses within one business day.

Shatirol Advisory maintains strict confidentiality on all enquiries and engagement terms.