ValueJet seeks Boeing simulator in Nigeria to cut FX losses

By Dickson Omobola

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ValueJet, Capt Omololu Majekodunmi, Tuesday, urged American aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, to establish a flight simulator in Nigeria.

Majekodunmi said it would reduce foreign exchange outflows, lower training costs and improve aviation safety.

He spoke as Boeing commenced the first tranche of its advanced technical training programme for Nigerian airline engineers, hosted by Techniks and Training Academy, ATT Academy, in Lagos.

The training, which stems from a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between Boeing and the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, is taking place from June 16 to July 29 and will train 16 engineers from Nigerian carriers, United Nigeria Airlines and ValueJet.

Majekodunmi said hosting the training in Nigeria had helped save foreign exchange and delivered economic benefits.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, he said: “We have saved foreign exchange that would otherwise have been spent abroad. Also, our engineers, both from United Nigeria Airlines and ValueJet, can all be in the same classroom receiving the same quality of training.

“Meanwhile, we want to see a Boeing simulator in Nigeria. We don’t have to take the money out again. It is also about safety. I have been in this business for seven years, and if, for any reason, you do something wrong or there is a procedural error, the airline, the Director of Flight Operations or the company simply pulls you offline and says: ‘please go back to the simulator for the next one, two or three days and repeat that procedure.’ It is not easy to do that under the current arrangement.

“You can’t do it in this kind of economy. I can’t send you to America or the UK for a simulator procedure that lasts only three days. But when you have a simulator within your environment, it becomes much easier. We would also like to see, perhaps in the next 10 to 15 years, Boeing aircraft being assembled in Nigeria.”

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, said policy reforms introduced by the current administration were driving investments into the aviation sector, adding that there was also a need to build technical and human capacity.

Keyamo, represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Foreign Direct Investment and Capital Improvement Programmes, Samuel Bajomo, said: “What Boeing has been doing in accordance with our existing MoU is centred on one of its key pillars, which is training. Training, capacity building, technology transfer, and increasing technical knowledge and expertise for our operators, engineers and service providers are among the major contributions Boeing has been making.

“Also, in terms of driving investments, there have been a lot of policy reforms introduced by the current administration. These policy directions have helped open up the industry.

“So, Nigeria is on the cusp of positioning itself to ensure it has the technical capacity, human capital and industry readiness to take advantage of the opportunities coming its way. I really appreciate the efforts of industry players, especially the Airline Operators of Nigeria and other airline operators.”

Meanwhile, Managing Director of United Nigeria Airlines, Mr Osita Okonkwo, said: “I think it is through this kind of relationship and teamwork that Nigeria’s aviation sector market will be developed and fully exploited by Nigerians, rather than leaving the market for others to exploit. In terms of aircraft, personnel and training, this capacity building will be one of the first steps towards making that a reality. We are happy that Boeing has come on board, and more importantly, that this is evolving into a long-term relationship.”

For his part, Executive Sales Director, Africa Region, Commercial Airplanes at Boeing, Moore Ibekwe, noted that the global aerospace giant was exploring pathways to assist domestic operators, adding that Nigeria’s improved standing on the Cape Town Convention compliance index has significantly eased lessor anxieties regarding fund tracking.

He said: “Boosting the capacity of aviation insurance in Nigeria is essential to ensuring stability and safety through the financial soundness of operators.”

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