You will not be protected by working for an agency! When Max Air doesn't pay the agency, the agency doesn't pay the contractor......just like it says in the contract you will be asked to sign. The other thing to remember is that you will be working for Max Air in Nigeria WITHOUT a work permit. You enter on a "tourist" or "business" visa and are beholden to Max Air to extend the visa. When you end up in a pay dispute Max Air will not offer any help to get you out of the country. You will be "on your own." Max Air handles all the travel arrangements to/from Nigeria. When you have a pay dispute Max Air will not arrange travel for you to return home at the end of your contract. There were crew from last year that had to buy their own travel home. It is very difficult/expensive to travel out of Kano, since most airlines have stopped serving the city due to the increasing level of violence and insecurity.