President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed a proposal by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to establish maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria as part of efforts to position the country as a regional hub for aerospace and aviation services.
The President also stressed Nigeria’s urgent need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to strengthen security operations, logistics and other national development priorities amid ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity across parts of the country.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday during a meeting with an Airbus delegation led by Thierry Cloutet, Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali.
The President said his administration was committed to deepening cooperation with Airbus by leveraging the company’s expertise in military aviation and aerospace development.
He specifically called for the accelerated delivery of three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to support ongoing counterterrorism and security operations nationwide.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” the President stated.
Discussions at the meeting also focused on Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 aircraft platform, broader defence aviation collaboration, and aircraft leasing and financing models designed to improve access to aircraft for domestic operators.
The financing options considered included export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term financing solutions aimed at easing constraints within the aviation sector.
President Tinubu further explored with the Airbus delegation the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company in Nigeria to enhance value creation across the country’s aviation industry and improve financing access for local airlines and operators.
Cloutet commended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector, reaffirming Airbus’ interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development goals.
He proposed what he described as a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria, covering commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.
According to Cloutet, the proposed collaboration would also extend to satellite technology and Earth observation systems.
The meeting formed part of broader engagements by President Tinubu aimed at attracting strategic investments and strengthening partnerships in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
