First from left: Engr. James Badmos, managing consultant at Finsbury Hanz Ltd , fifth from left, Ms. Olaore Titilayo, Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, CITA Energies, flanked by other staff of the company during the celebration of triple ISO certifications by CITA in Lagos on Friday
It was all glitz and glamour at the NIGAV centre, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja on Friday as CITA Energies , a leading energy company in Nigeria, attained and celebrated three internationally recognised certifications for ISO 45001: 2018 occupational health and safety management system; ISO 9001: 2015 quality management system and ISO 14001 : 2015 environmental management system.
CITA Energies, a division of the CITA Group, began operations in Nigeria in 2006. As an aviation fuel specialist, the company has grown to become a major supplier, operating across 15 airfields within Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions.
Speaking during the event, Ms. Olaore Titilayo , Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, CITA Energies ascribed the win to staff dedication and hard work adding that ‘the extra work, cross-checking and reevaluation by staff yielded expected result’.
She said the unprecedented acquisition of the coveted certifications is a testament to the company’s dedication to world-class quality management principles.
While pledging the commitment of the company to its partners , she said: ‘to every member of our team who contributed to this process, your dedication has made this milestone possible. Your work has laid the foundation for a stronger and more resilient organization. And to our partners and stakeholders, we remain committed to building an organization that operates with integrity, reliability, and world-class standards.’
Dr. Thomas Ogungbangbe, CEO, CITA Energies
According to her, at CITA, discipline and commitment to standards form the core values that guide its daily operations, hence the achievements.
“Today is not simply about celebrating a certification, it is about celebrating discipline. Across many organizations, standards are often written into manuals but rarely embedded into culture. Certificates are displayed on walls, yet the systems and accountability required to truly uphold them remain absent.
” For us, this journey demanded more. Achieving ISO certification required a deliberate shift in how we think, how we operate, and how we hold ourselves accountable. It required us to examine our processes, strengthen our governance, and build systems that ensure consistency, transparency, and operational integrity. In an industry where credibility is everything, these standards matter. They signal to our regulators, partners, and stakeholders that our commitment to quality, safety, and environmental responsibility is not aspirational — it is institutional.”, she said.
An elated Olaore, said however, that the certificate itself is not the achievement , the real achievement lies in the discipline required to maintain these standards every single day.
“ISO is not a destination; it is a continuous commitment to improvement, accountability, and operational excellence. What we celebrate today therefore is not just compliance with international standards, but the strengthening of an institution — one that is built on structure, professionalism, and a clear commitment to doing things the right way.
” The certificate may represent this achievement today, but the true test will always be how faithfully we live up to the standards it represents.”, she added.
Also speaking, Mr. Olayinka Ajibola, one of the Directors said the three awards show CITA’s commitment to operational efficiency and a testament to what it is and what it stands for.
“The awards show our commitment to quality and our responsibility towards the environment and sustainability, this reinforces our dedication to the safety of our employees, safety and reliability are non-negotiable, we believe that it is wrong for our staff to sustain injuries or die while on duty,, the certifications reflect our culture, discipline and accountability. Above all, this was made possible through collaborative efforts. “, he said.
Engr. James Badmos, managing consultant at Finsbury Hanz Ltd disclosed that Bluestar Management Systems, a certification body, audited and Issued the certificates to CITA Energies, adding that the its authenticity can be verified from the website of International Accreditation Forum (IAF) or at iafcertsearch.org.
While urging CITA Energies to guard the certificates jealousy without lowering its operational standards, he said the first surveillance audit on the company will take place next year, to be followed by a second surveillance in 2028 before recertification.
The event attracted crème de la crème of stakeholders, especially partners from both domestic and foreign airlines.
