AVSEC,
Shunanny have explains it more better than I can. All the big oil company, plus many other large company will audit airlines before they will allow their staffs to fly on them. If staffs fly when the airline is not audited their insurances may be void. Oil company audits are very thorough and for self-employ peoples like myself, is a good way to know if an airline have not just the shiny new aeroplanes, but operates them most safely.
Having the money to buy toys is one thing, reading the manuel of instructions and using them properly is another. One problem with some African nations is that some individuals has monies possibly ontained by dubious means and want to start his own airline for prestige. They will employ some foreign 'experts' to advise them, but some of these experts are not so expert. Even more is the fact that these big, wealthy men are not so good to take advice and will ignore what their hired experts tell them. They spend much money on the wrong things, but don't likes to spend much money on the things the customer can't see. They will build big impressive, marble floor passenger lounge and get nice leather seats, but refuse to pay for spare parts, not allow service schedules to be followed, not have in position proper safety management systems. In such airlines, peoples are fired for making any mistakes or reporting them. Oil company auditors are some of the best professional auditors around and looks for such things - they are impressed by procedure, not glitter; safety, not show. Many of the passengers on routes such as Lagos to Port Harcourt are employed in oil industry business, so passing an audit is good sign for other passengers, such as me, that an airline have safe operating procedures as well as shiny new toys.