President Bola Tinubu has endorsed Airbus’ proposal to establish aircraft maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria, describing the initiative as a strategic move that could strengthen the country’s ambition to become a major aviation and aerospace hub in Africa.
The President also renewed calls for the accelerated delivery of military aircraft already ordered by Nigeria, stressing that improved aviation capacity remains critical to the country’s security operations and broader economic development goals.
Tinubu spoke during a meeting with a delegation from Airbus 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.
According to a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, discussions focused on expanding cooperation between Nigeria and the European aircraft manufacturer across commercial aviation, defence operations, maintenance infrastructure, aircraft financing, and aerospace development.
The President emphasised the urgent need for additional aviation assets, particularly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft capable of supporting counterterrorism operations and other national security priorities.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” Tinubu said, while urging Airbus to facilitate faster delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by the country.
The meeting also reviewed Nigeria’s planned acquisition of the Airbus C-295 aircraft platform and explored broader defence aviation partnerships aimed at improving logistics, operational readiness, and national air mobility capabilities.
As part of discussions on strengthening the aviation sector, both sides examined aircraft financing models, including leasing arrangements, export credit structures, long-term financing packages, and sale-and-lease-back options designed to improve aircraft access for domestic operators and reduce financial pressure on airlines.
Tinubu also raised the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company in Nigeria to unlock investment opportunities within the aviation value chain and improve financing access for indigenous carriers.
The President said his administration remained committed to deepening partnerships capable of enhancing technical capacity, improving connectivity, and modernising Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
Cloutet, in his remarks, commended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and ongoing efforts to stabilise the aviation sector. He reaffirmed Airbus’ interest in supporting Nigeria’s long-term aviation and aerospace ambitions through what he described as a “360-degree engagement” framework.
According to him, the proposed partnership would extend beyond aircraft sales to include maintenance infrastructure, operational hubs, sustainability initiatives, military aviation cooperation, human capital development, and satellite and Earth observation collaboration.
The proposed maintenance and hangar facilities are expected to support local technical capacity development, reduce reliance on foreign maintenance centres, and position Nigeria as a regional hub for aircraft servicing and aerospace operations.
The development aligns with the Federal Government’s broader push to modernise the aviation sector, strengthen indigenous technical expertise, and attract greater investment into Nigeria’s aviation and aerospace industry.
