Tinubu backs Airbus plan for regional aerospace hub in Nigeria

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed an 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.

Tinubu 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 administration efforts to end security challenges in parts of the nation.

The president spoke on Thursday during a meeting with an Airbus delegation led by Thierry Cloutet, Airbus Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

Accelerated aircraft delivery sought for security operations

Tinubu told the delegation that the administration is determined to scale up the 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 a 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.

Aircraft leasing and financial structures discussed

Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, and aircraft leasing and financing models were also discussed. These include export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term financing solutions aimed at improving domestic airlines’ access to aircraft and reducing sector financing constraints.

To strengthen the existing relationship between the company and Nigeria, Tinubu discussed the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company to unlock value along the domestic aviation value chain.
Cloutet commended Tinubu’s economic reforms and the efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector, reaffirming the company’s interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development objectives.

Comprehensive engagement target

In support of the policy to modernise the aviation sector, Cloutet proposed a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria.

The engagement will cover commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs, and maintenance infrastructure. It will also include collaboration on satellite and Earth observation.