President Bola Tinubu has welcomed a proposal by global aircraft manufacturer Airbus to establish aircraft maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria as part of efforts to position the country as a regional aerospace and aviation services hub.
The President also stressed Nigeria’s urgent need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to support security operations, logistics and other national development priorities amid ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity across parts of the country.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu spoke during a meeting with an Airbus delegation led by the company’s Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, on Thursday.
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Tinubu told the delegation that his administration was committed to strengthening Nigeria’s relationship with Airbus by leveraging the company’s expertise in military aircraft and aerospace development.
He also called for the speedy delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to support ongoing security and counterterrorism operations.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” the President said.
The meeting also featured discussions on Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, and aircraft leasing and financing arrangements.
According to Onanuga, the discussions covered export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term aircraft financing models aimed at improving access to aircraft for domestic airlines and easing financing constraints in the aviation sector.
Tinubu also explored the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company in Nigeria to unlock opportunities within the country’s aviation value chain and improve financing access for local operators.
In his remarks, Cloutet commended Tinubu’s economic reforms and efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector, reaffirming Airbus’ interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development goals.
He proposed what he described as a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria, covering commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.
The proposed partnership would also include collaboration in satellite and Earth observation technology.
