Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has reiterated the calls on potential investors in Maintenance Repair Ovethaul (MRO) facilities to consider Nigeria first for their investment, saying it guarantees handsome returns.
He made the call on Friday at the 28th Annual Conference of League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), held at Providence Hotel, GRA Ikeja Lagos.
The Minister who lamented the absence of a formidable MRO facility where domestic operators in the country and West African subregion could carry out A to D checks on their aircraft, affirmed that any investors who ventures into establishing an MRO facility in Nigeria will have good returns on the investment.
“Some have spoken about the Maintenance Repair and Ovethaul (MRO). I think it is at the heart of the improvement of our local aviation industry. We need to bring in the MROs.
“People are already talking with us. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag. Very soon, we are going to advertise and call for partnership.
“That is the only way to go. And I think we need to call in people with money. So, for our local businessmen, our banks, financial institutions, financiers, don’t say that foreigners are coming to take your business away.
“It is big business. Anybody that establishes a world-class MRO now, I know people will say something. But, wide bodies. But, we still need more. Somebody that can take the 777 types. If you bring them in, you will serve the whole of West Africa. You will serve the whole of Central Africa. You will serve a good part of Southern Africa. If you can get the MROs now into Nigeria,” Keyamo assured.
Regreting there is no MRO facility for maintenance of wide body aircraft in West and Central African subregions, he therefore encouraged any investor interested in establishing one in the region to hasten their steps and have it established in Nigeria where there are already international airports for such considerations.
“There is not so far in the whole of West Africa and Central Africa for the real big bodies. The wide bodies. So, we encourage all of you.
“The Arabs are talking to us. The Chinese are talking to us. The Europeans are talking to us. The Americans, they want to invest. And you know why it has to be PPPs.
“It is difficult to establish an MRO at an independent venue, different from an existing airport. You can’t build it. Because you need a runway to get to an MRO. So, it is pretty difficult. So, you have to talk with us for us to give you one within one of our international airports. We are in the process of doing a master plan.
“So, we are going to mark out clear areas for MROs within the international airports. So, we are calling. I won’t say we are begging. We are telling you to come and make money. So, we are not begging for investment. Come and make money. There is money to be made here. If you bring an MRO.
“So, please, we are going to watch the world to come and invest in Nigeria in our MROs. We are pushing for it. It is going to be one of our major objectives to bring in the MROs into Nigeria,” he beckoned.
With the establishment of MRO in Nigeria, the Minister noted that the operational capacity of domestic operators would be enhanced while the nation will safe a lot of foreign exchange.
“They can do their A, B, C checks, their D checks here without going out. But most importantly, sir, if you notice, there is a shortage of aircraft in Nigeria to service routes. That I think is the major problem we are facing. The local operators are struggling. They are struggling to cover their routes not to talk about our international routes.”
Keyamo also noted that Nigeria has not been able to service some routes to some countries where it has Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) because of lack of MRO facility within the region which has in turn decimated the fleet and operational capacity of her domestic airlines.
“But most importantly, if you notice, there is a shortage of aircraft in Nigeria to service routes. That I think is the major problem we are facing. The local operators are struggling. They are struggling to cover their routes not to talk about our international routes. Air France is coming here ten times a week. We are not going to Paris. Lufthansa is coming here. We are not going to Frankfurt. Delta, United, is coming from America. Nobody is going to America.
“Even here, South Africa is coming here. Nobody is going to South Africa. We only managed to get the London route,” he lamented.
