The Nigeria Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN has signed a Working Together Agreement with aircraft manufacturer, Airbus to boost aviation growth in Nigeria.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Olugbenga Saka, said: “At the invitation of Airbus, following Nigeria’s recent policy achievements and remarkable safety scores, the Honorable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, led a high-level delegation to Toulouse, France.” The Statement said the Minister’s delegation included members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and key industry stakeholders.
According to the Statement, “This strategic alliance is designed to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s civil aviation ecosystem and position the nation as the central hub for African aerospace.”
The partnership focuses on four transformative pillars aimed at holistic industry growth:
- Fleet Expansion: Leveraging the successful integration of the Airbus A220 (as seen with Ibom Air) to establish Nigeria as a leader in regional and continental flight operations.
- Infrastructure & Technical Support: Airbus will provide comprehensive consulting for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, flight operations, and aviation market insights.
- Human Capital Development: Creating high-value jobs for the next generation of Nigerian talent through specialized training programs for pilots, engineers, and cabin crew.
- Market Leadership: Aligning with Airbus’ Global Market Forecast, which predicts a demand for 1,490 new aircraft in Africa over the next two decades. Nigeria aims to capture a dominant share of this growth by utilizing its geographic advantage as a global bridge.
The Statement noted that “the visit concluded with a commitment to further technical exchanges, including upcoming inspections of Airbus’ Defence & Space and Helicopter divisions. This agreement signals to the global community that the Nigerian aviation sector is entering a phase of rapid, structured, and sustainable ascent.”
Nigeria & Airbus sign a landmark Working Together Agreement
Nigeria & Airbus sign a landmark Working Together Agreement