Tinubu welcomes Airbus maintenance facility proposal, urges faster delivery of attack helicopters

Nike Popoola

Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed a proposal by Airbus to establish maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria as part of efforts to position the country as a regional aerospace and aviation services hub.

The President also stressed Nigeria’s urgent need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to support security operations, logistics and national development priorities as his administration intensifies efforts to tackle insecurity in parts of the country.

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

According to a statement issued by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the President said his administration was committed to deepening relations with Airbus by leveraging the company’s expertise in military aircraft and aerospace development.

Tinubu called for the accelerated delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to strengthen ongoing security and counter-terrorism operations nationwide.

“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” the President said.
Discussions at the meeting also focused on Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation and aircraft leasing and financing models.

The financing discussions covered export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures and long-term aircraft financing solutions aimed at improving airlines’ access to aircraft and reducing financing constraints within the aviation sector.
Tinubu also discussed 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 efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector, while reaffirming Airbus’ interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development objectives.

He proposed a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria covering commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.

The proposed partnership would also include collaboration on satellite and Earth observation initiatives.