Federal Republic of Nigeria
Though, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the proposal by a world leading aircraft manufacturer, Airbus to establish N Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Nigeria and turn the country to a regional aerospace and aviation services hub, he has however, called for the urgent delivery of the three already ordered atrack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to support military operations and end terrorism in the country.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga said Tinubu made this known on Thursday, during a meeting with a delegation from Airbus, led by Head of Regional Business Growth Africa and the Middle East, Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
Onanuga said Tinubu told the delegation that his administration was determined to scale up the cordial relationship between both parties, leveraging the company’s comparative advantage in military aircraft and aerospace development.
The President called for the accelerated delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to support ongoing security and counterterrorism operations, underscoring his administration’s determination to deploy all assets against terrorists across the nation.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” Tinubu said.
Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, as well as aircraft leasing and financing models, including export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term aircraft financing solutions aimed at improving airlines’ access to aircraft and reducing sector financing constraints, were also discussed.
In furtherance of strengthening the existing relationship between the company and Nigeria, President Tinubu also discussed with the Airbus delegation the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company to unlock value along Nigeria’s aviation value chain and improve financing access for domestic operators.
The leader of the delegation, Cloutet commended Tinubu’s economic reforms and the efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector. He reaffirmed the company’s interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development objectives.
In support of the administration’s policy to modernise the nation’s Aviation sector, he proposed what he described as a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria.
The engagement, according to Cloutet, will cover commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.
It will also include collaboration on satellite and Earth observation.
