Westminster Group PLC (LON:WSG) said it has been awarded a long-term contract to provide security services to five airports in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The “multi-million dollar” per year contract was signed in Kinshasa yesterday at a ceremony attended by the British Ambassador and will run for an initial 20 years with a five-year renewal thereafter.
Westminster said the contract is based on Westminster’s managed services model successfully deployed elsewhere in Africa with revenues generated by a per passenger levy on travellers embarking on their journey that will be paid directly to the company by the airlines or via an independent group such as the International Air Transport Association.
Even with passenger numbers at an estimated 50% of their normal levels because of pandemic international travel restrictions, the group expects the new contract to generate US$6mln of revenues in the first 12 months.
The agreement will see Westminster provide comprehensive ground security operations, initially at four international airports and one national airport in the DRC.
It said it will help the authorities to “develop and maintain world-class airport security services, opening up the potential for growth in air traffic by attracting new international carriers and commercial enterprises to the region”, investors were told.
Chief executive Peter Fowler said: "We stated in our 2020 annual report, issued in May 2021, that delivering at least one more large-scale managed services contract this year, despite COVID challenges, was one of our priority goals.
“I am therefore delighted that our Services Division has secured this important new long-term managed services contract in the DRC, one of several such opportunities being pursued around the world, which further expands our airport security projects and international presence.”