Nigeria touts cargo, leasing potential to attract French investment

Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development is currently leading a high-powered Nigerian delegation on a 4-day bilateral working visit to France. This visit, tagged the Nigeria France Bilateral Business Forum, aims to strengthen cooperation and explore business opportunities in the aviation sector between both nations.

Accompanied by CEOs and directors from various Nigerian aviation agencies, including Olubunmi Kuku, MD of FAAN, Chris Najomo, acting Director General of NCAA, and Faruk Umar of NAMA, the delegation embarked on a thorough aviation business exploration across key cities including Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, and Orly.

The bilateral business meeting commenced on Tuesday, with Keyamo meeting with the Director General of the French Civil Aviation, Damien Caze, and his team.

Keyamo presented a roadmap for the Nigerian aviation industry, emphasising the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and inviting private investors to participate in this endeavour.

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During the session, stakeholders from the Nigerian delegation, including MDs of FAAN and NAMA, as well as the acting DG of NCAA, delivered presentations on topics ranging from aircraft financing and insurance to the modernization of navigational equipment and capacity building initiatives.

The French aviation stakeholders, including PROAVIA, ASTech Paris Region, and BPI France, expressed keen interest in partnering with Nigeria, acknowledging the country’s vast potential in the aviation industry. Vice President of AerCap, Gad Wavomba, also pledged to explore business opportunities with Nigeria, citing the country’s attractiveness for investment.

Other stakeholders who added their voices are Adenike Aboderin, the MD of SAHCO, who spoke on the economic potentials of partnering with the Nigerian Cargo business while Ado Sanusi, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, also threw more light on aircraft leasing and the benefits of investing in the giant of Africa, a country of 240m people reputed to be Africa’s commercial nerves.

The Nigerian delegation includes prominent figures from the aviation sector such as Emmanuel Fubara, Chairman of Bristow Helicopters, George Urensi, MD of Ibom Air, and Ado Sanusi, Chairman of Aero Contractors, among others.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.