•Seeks accelerated delivery of three Apache attack helicopters to boost insecurity fight
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the world aircraft-maker, Airbus’ proposal to establish maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria as part of a broader effort to position the country as a regional aerospace and aviation services hub.
The president also emphasised Nigeria’s urgent need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft capable of supporting security operations, logistics, and national development priorities, in furtherance of his administration’s effort to end the intractable security challenges in some parts of the nation.
Tinubu, according to a statement issued yesterday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, spoke during a recent meeting with a delegation from Airbus, led by Head of Regional Business Growth Africa and the Middle East, Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
He told the delegation that his administration was determined to scale up the cordial relationship between both parties, leveraging the company’s comparative advantage in military aircraft and aerospace development.
The president called for the accelerated delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to support ongoing security and counterterrorism operations, underscoring his administration’s determination to deploy all assets against terrorists across the nation.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” Tinubu said.
Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, as well as aircraft leasing and financing models, including export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term aircraft financing solutions aimed at improving airlines’ access to aircraft and reducing sector financing constraints, were also discussed.
In furtherance of strengthening the existing relationship between the company and Nigeria, the president also discussed with the Airbus delegation the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company to unlock value along Nigeria’s aviation value chain and improve financing access for domestic operators.
Cloutet commended Tinubu’s economic reforms and the efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector. He reaffirmed the company’s interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development objectives.
In support of the administration’s policy to modernise the nation’s aviation sector, Cloutet proposed what he described as a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria.
The engagement, according to him, will cover commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.