Dr Thomas Ogungbangbe, chairman of CITA Energies, recounted the company's two-decade journey at its 20th anniversary celebration in Lagos on Friday. He described how the aviation fuel supplier grew from a modest business operated from his living room and car boot into an enterprise with facilities valued at nearly $200m. The company now operates across 17 airports spanning Nigeria's six geopolitical zones and has expanded its international aviation fuel supply network across several continents.
Ogungbangbe attributed the growth to resilience, supportive government policies, strategic partnerships and the commitment of employees. He explained that aviation fuel supply demands round-the-clock operations because aircraft require uninterrupted access to fuel regardless of weekends and public holidays. Changes in government petroleum policies created opportunities for indigenous businesses to enter an industry previously dominated by multinational oil companies, he noted.
CITA emerged in 2006 following Ogungbangbe's involvement in an earlier aviation fuel business. A documentary screened at the anniversary traced the company's expansion from its first operational base in Port Harcourt to its current network across Nigeria. Ogungbangbe said the milestone would not have been possible without contributions from pioneering employees, successive management teams, customers and business partners.