President Bola Tinubu has expressed support for a proposal by global aircraft manufacturer Airbus to establish aircraft maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria as part of plans to position the country as a regional hub for aerospace and aviation services.
The President also emphasised Nigeria’s pressing demand for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to boost security operations, logistics and other critical national development needs as the government continues efforts to combat insecurity in several parts of the country.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu made the remarks 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.
During the meeting, Tinubu assured the delegation that his administration remained committed to deepening Nigeria’s partnership with Airbus by taking advantage of the company’s expertise in aerospace development and military aircraft.
He also urged the company to accelerate the delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to aid 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.
Discussions at the meeting also focused on Nigeria’s planned acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, wider defence aviation collaboration, as well as aircraft leasing and financing arrangements.
Onanuga stated that talks included export credit options, sale-and-lease-back agreements, and long-term aircraft financing structures designed to improve aircraft access for domestic airlines and reduce financing challenges in the aviation industry.
Tinubu further considered the possibility of setting up an aviation leasing company in Nigeria to expand opportunities within the country’s aviation value chain and improve access to financing for local operators.
In his remarks, Cloutet praised Tinubu’s economic reforms and efforts aimed at stabilising Nigeria’s aviation industry, while reaffirming Airbus’ commitment to supporting the country’s long-term aerospace ambitions.
He proposed what he described as a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria, covering commercial aviation, military aircraft collaboration, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.
The proposed partnership would also extend to cooperation in satellite and Earth observation technology.
