Aero Contractors, founded in 1959, is Nigeria's oldest surviving airline

Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited was founded in 1959, one year before Nigeria’s independence, making it the oldest surviving aviation brand in the country. It began as a wholly owned foreign subsidiary of Schreiner Airways B.V. of the Netherlands and initially operated rotary‑wing helicopters and light fixed‑wing aircraft for offshore oilfield support, serving early clients such as Shell, Chevron and Mobil. The airline’s operations were governed by strict international safety standards, preventive maintenance and audit compliance, and it earned stable, dollar‑denominated revenue through long‑term charter contracts in the oil and gas sector before offering scheduled passenger services.